Patent Grant
8795039
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent applications number 101140306 and 101149777, filed on Oct. 31, 2012 and Dec. 25, 2012.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coin-dispensing technology and more particularly, to a troubleshooted coin output method used in a coin dispensing and outputting machine, which, when one coin-output motor fails to output coins from a first group coin tubes, drives the other coin-output motor to output coins from a second group coin tubes, enabling the amount of outputted coins meeting the amount of money desired to be given.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following fast development of modern technology, convenience and rapidness have become important demands in our modern daily life. Nowadays, different automatic vending machines, card dispensers, ticket machines and bill exchange machines are used everywhere to sell different products and/or to provide different services without serviceman. These machines are highly appreciated for the advantage of saving much labor and bringing convenience to people. With the selling of more and more kinds of goods, advanced vending machines need added functions.
Further, commercial automatic vending machines and amusement machines commonly provide a coin acceptor for allowing people to insert coins, achieving unmanned operation and self-checkout. Further, a coin-operated automatic vending machine or amusement machine generally uses a coin validator module to validate the authenticity and value of each inserted coin or token. Different coins or tokens have different sizes. After validation of an inserted coin, the coin will be dispensed into one of a number of coin tubes inside the machine by means of a coin dispenser. Subject to the operation of the coin dispenser, coins of different values can be separately dispensed into different coin tubes for storage. Further, commercial automatic vending machines, game consoles and consumer systems are generally equipped with a coin hopper to provide coin-exchange, change-giving and coin-return functions
A coin hopper of an automatic vending machine, game console or consumer system generally comprises multiple coin-pushing modules, and multiple motors controllable to drive the respective coin-pushing modules to push coins from different coin tubes for output. However, when one motor fails, the coin hopper will be stopped, prohibiting coin output. In this case, an inserted coin cannot be returned, causing the consumer a degree of distress, inconvenience and financial loss. Further, each motor simply drives one coin-pushing module to output coins of one particular value. One motor will fail soon if it is frequently operated. When one motor fails, the coin hopper will be stopped, and the other motors cannot be operated to output coins. Further, when one motor of the coin hopper fails, the machine provider must send a maintenance technician to repair the failed motor soon. If the failed motor cannot be repaired quickly, the machine will be unable to work, leading to financial loss. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a measure that eliminates the aforesaid problems.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a troubleshooted coin output method used in a coin dispensing and outputting machine including a machine main unit formed of a coin dispensing unit, a coin hopper consisting of a driver circuit, motors, coin-pushing modules and sensors and a circuit module, and coin tubes for storing coins, wherein when outputting coins, the circuit module counts the amount of coins to be outputted subject to the amount of money to be given, and then stops the coin output operation if the outputted amount of coins does not match the amount of money to be given due to failure or one motor or any other reasons, and then counts the rest amount to be given, and then drives the other motor to output coins until that the desired amount are outputted, thereby troubleshooting the problem that the outputted amount of coins does not match the amount of money to be given and effectively prolonging the total lifespan of the coin dispensing and outputting machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a troubleshooted coin output method used in a coin dispensing and outputting machine including a machine main unit formed of a coin dispensing unit, a coin hopper consisting of a driver circuit, motors, coin-pushing modules and sensors and a circuit module, and coin tubes arranged in first and second groups for storing coins, wherein when the coin tubes of the first group are empty during operation of a first motor of the coin hopper to output coins from the coin tubes of the first group, the circuit module will drive a second motor of the coin hopper to output coins from the coin tubes of the second group until that the desired amount are outputted, enabling the frequency of use of each motor to be approximately equal and prolonging the lifespan of the motors. Thus, all the motors can be replaced at a time after a long period of use, saving the replacement time and labor cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a troubleshooted coin output method used in a coin dispensing and outputting machine including a machine main unit formed of a coin dispensing unit, a coin hopper consisting of a driver circuit, motors, coin-pushing modules and sensors and a circuit module, and coin tubes arranged in first and second groups for storing coins, wherein when sensors of the circuit module sensed the storage of coins in the coin tubes of the first group is in full-level and the flag to prohibit coins from entering the coin tubes of the first group is created, the setting of the coin inlet path of the coin dispensing module will be changed, enabling coins to be guided into the coin tubes of the second group, and therefore inputted coins can be equally distributed and stored in the coin tubes of the first group and the second group.
Referring to
The machine main unit 1 comprises a housing 11 defining therein an accommodation space 10, a coin dispensing unit 12 mounted in a top side in the accommodation space 10 inside the housing 11, a coin hopper 13 mounted in a bottom side in the accommodation space 10 inside the housing 11, and a circuit module 14 mounted in a bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12. The set of coin tubes 2 is mounted in the coin hopper 13 at the bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12. The coin dispensing unit 12 comprises a coin inlet 120 disposed at a top side thereof for receiving coins 3, a coin validator module 121 for validating the authenticity and values of coins 3 being put into the coin inlet 120, a coin dispensing module 122 for dispensing validated coins 3 into the coin tubes 2 in a proper order, and a face panel 15 disposed at a front side relative to the coin dispensing unit 12.
The coin hopper 13 comprises a driver circuit 130, a plurality of motors 131, a plurality of coin-pushing modules 132, and a plurality of sensors 133 for sensing displacement of the coin-pushing module 132. Each motor 131 has the output shaft thereof coupled to a gear train 1311 that is coupled to a gearwheel 1320 of one respective coin-pushing module 132, and is controlled by the driver circuit 130 to rotate the gear train 1312 and the meshed gearwheel 1320 through a predetermined angle, causing a coin pusher 1321 at the gearwheel 1320 to push one coin 3 out of the bottom side of one coin tube 2 laterally for enabling the pushed coin 3 to fall out of the coin outlet 134 at the bottom side of the coin hopper 13, and therefore the coin-exchange, change-giving or coin-return operation is done.
The circuit module 14 comprises multiple sets of sensors 141 respectively mounted around the outer perimeters of the coin tubes 2 to detect storage coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 at a low-level or full-level, a control circuit 140 made in the form of a circuit board and mounted at the bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12 and electrically coupled with the multiple sets of sensors 141 to receive detection signals from the sensors 141 and to control on/off of the coin hopper 13 subject to the detection results of the sensors 141, and a display unit 142 electrically coupled to the control circuit 140 and mounted in the face panel 15 for displaying fault conditions. Mounting the control circuit 140 at the bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12 is simply an installation example of the present invention. In other embodiments of the present invention, the control circuit 140 can be mounted inside the coin dispensing unit 12, or at any suitable location in the housing 11.
The coin tubes 2 are cylindrical coin storage devices for receiving sorted coins 3, each defining a cylindrical passage 20 that has a respective predetermined inner diameter for accommodating a predetermined amount of coins 3 having a specific value.
The troubleshooted coin output method is employed in the aforesaid coin dispensing and outputting machine and performed subject to the steps of:
As stated above, the troubleshooted coin output method is used in the coin dispensing and outputting machine that can be used in an automatic game machine, a game console, or any consumer system that sells goods or services to consumers. During application, the machine main unit 1 of the coin dispensing and outputting machine is mounted in the housing of the automatic game machine, game console or consumer system and electrically connected to the internal main board of the automatic game machine, game console or consumer system, enabling the automatic game machine, game console or consumer system to provide coin-receiving, coin-dispensing and coin-recognition functions.
Before the operation of the coin hopper 13 of the machine main unit 1 to output coins, the coin dispensing and outputting machine is initialized to set all firmware default values and to run function tests, and then the machine enters the standby mode if test results are normal. When starting the coin hopper 13 to exchange coins, to give change or to return coins, the microprocessor (not shown) of the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 counts the amount of coins 3 to be outputted from the coin tubes 2 subject to the amount of money to be given, and then drives the coin hopper 13 to execute a cross-allocation coin output action to output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2. During a cross-allocation coin output action subject to one application example of the present invention, one motor 131 is driven to rotate the associating coin-pushing module 132 and to further push coins 3 of different values (for example, NT$50 and NT$10) out of two coin tubes 2 of a first group, and the other motor 131 is driven to rotate the associating coin-pushing module 132 and to further push coins 3 of different values (for example, NT$10, NT$5 and NT$1) out of four coin tubes 2 of a second group. This application example is for the purpose of understanding how the coin dispensing and outputting machine works, but not limitations. Further, the number and sizes of the coin tubes 2 may be changed to fit different kinds and sizes of coins 3.
However, if the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 detects that the coin hopper 13 cannot output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 subject to the amount to be outputted, it will check the driver circuit 130 to see any abnormality of the function of the motors 131 in driving the respective coin-pushing modules 132. If all the motors 131 are checked failed and coin output operation cannot be done, the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 will immediately stop the coin hopper 13 and drive the display unit 142 to indicate fault status by means of color lights, subtitles, text or symbols. When only one particular motor 131 is checked failed, the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 will control the coin hopper 13 not to drive the failed motor 131 in rotating the associating gearwheel 1320 of the coin-pushing module 132, and will count the rest amount to be outputted from the coin tubes 2 and then execute a corresponding cross-allocation coin output action to output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 until that the desired amount are outputted. After the coin output operation, the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 returns the machine to the standby mode.
Further, if one motor 131 is checked abnormal during the operation of the coin hopper 13 to move the coin-pushing module 132, the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 runs subject to the steps of:
As stated above, if one motor 131 fails or the coin hopper 13 cannot output coins due to any other reasons, the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14 checks the driver circuit 130 to see any abnormality of the function of the motors 131. At this time, the sensors 133 are controlled to detect movement of each coin pusher 1321 from the start-point to the end-point. When one motor 131 drives the associating coin-pushing module 132 to move the associating coin pusher 1321 to the start-point, the sensor 133 at the start-point senses the presence of the respective coin pusher 1321. If the respective coin pusher 1321 does not reach the start-point within the set length of time, a fault signal will be fed back from the motor 131 to the control circuit 140 of the circuit module 14, enabling the control circuit 140 to display the fault signal through the display unit 142. If the coin pusher 1321 is detected at the start-point or checked reached the start-point within the set length of time, the control circuit 140 will immediately drive the motor 131 to rotate the associating coin-pushing modules 132, moving the associating coin pusher 1321 to the sensor 133 at the end-point.
After the motor 131 drives the associating coin-pushing module 132 to move the associating coin pusher 1321 to the sensor 133 at the end-point, the control circuit 140 checks whether or not the coin pusher 1321 reaches the sensor 133 at the end-point. If the coin pusher 1321 does not reach the sensor 133 at the end-point within the set length of time, a fault signal will be fed back to the control circuit 140, enabling the control circuit 140 to display the fault signal through the display unit 140. If the coin pusher 1321 reaches the sensor 133 at the end-point within the set length of time, the control circuit 140 can control other motors 131 to rotate the respective coin-pushing modules 132, running another cross-allocation coin output action to output coins 3 from the other coin tubes 2 until the desired amount is outputted. This troubleshooted coin output method prevents user coin loss, effectively prolongs the lifespan of the coin hopper 13, and enhances the competivity of the consumer system using this troubleshooted coin output method.
Referring to
As stated above, when coins 3 are put into the coin inlet 120 of the coin dispensing unit 12, the coin dispensing unit 12 judges that coins 3 enters, and then drives the coin validator module 121 to validate the authenticity and values of the coins 3. If the coins 3 are counterfeit coins, the coin dispensing unit 12 returns the counterfeit coins 3. If the coins 3 are real coins, the coin dispensing unit 12 starts coin inlet path initialization to set all firmware parameters. If the flag to prohibit coins from entering the coin tubes 2 of the first group is not created after the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detected that the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the first group is in the low level, the coin dispensing unit 12 sets the coin inlet path of the coin dispensing module 122 to guide the coins 3 into the coin tubes 2 of the first group.
If the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detected the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the first group is in the full-level or the flag to prohibit coins from entering the coin tubes 2 of the first group is created, the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 will then detect whether or not the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the second group to be in the full-level. If the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the second group is in the full-level and the flag to prohibit coins from entering the coin tubes 2 of the first group is not created, the coin dispensing unit 12 sets the coin inlet path of the coin dispensing module 122 to guide the coins 3 into the predetermined coin box.
However, if the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detects the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the second group is in the low level or the flag to prohibit coins from entering the coin tubes 2 of the second group is not created, the coin dispensing unit 12 sets the coin inlet path of the coin dispensing module 122 to guide the coins 3 into the coin tubes 2 of the second group. This cross-allocation coin dispensing measure can change the setting of the coin inlet path of the coin dispensing module 122 if the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the first group is in the full-level, enabling the inputted coins 3 to be guided into the coin tubes 2 of the second group and then guided into the predetermined coin box or other coin tubes 2 when the storage of coins 3 in the coin tubes 2 of the second group reaches the full-level. Thus, inputted coins can be properly distributed into the coin tubes 2 of the first group and the coin tubes 2 of the second group.
Further, when the coin hopper 13 executes the cross-allocation coin output action to output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2, the coin dispensing and outputting machine runs subject to the steps of:
As stated above, when executing the cross-allocation coin output action to output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2, the coin hopper 13 initializes all the firmware parameters. After the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detects that the coin tubes 2 of the first group have coins 3 stored therein and the flag to prohibit entering of coins into the coin tubes 2 of the first group is not created, one motor 131 of the coin hopper 13 will be driven to move the associating coin-pushing module 132, outputting coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 of the first group. When the coin output action is done, the coin dispensing and outputting machine immediately returns to the standby mode. If the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detected that the coin tubes 2 of the first group have coins 3 are empty or the flag to prohibit entering of coins into the coin tubes 2 of the first group is created, the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 will detect coin storage status of the coin tubes 2 of the second group. If the coin tubes 2 of the second group have coins 3 stored therein and the flag to prohibit entering of coins into the coin tubes 2 of the second group is not created, the other motor 131 of the coin hopper 13 will be driven to move the associating coin-pushing module 132, outputting coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 of the second group.
Further, if the sensors 141 of the circuit module 14 detects that the coin tubes 2 of the first group have coins 3 are empty or the flag to prohibit entering of coins 3 into the coin tubes 2 of the first group is created, the circuit module 14 will stop the coin hopper 13 from outputting coins, and will count the rest amount to be outputted, and will then drive the coin hopper 13 to output coins 3 of a different value from the coin tubes 2. For example, change the way of outputting coins of one first value (for example, NT$10) from the coin tubes 2 of the first group and the coin tubes 2 of the second group to the way of outputting coins 3 of two different values (for example, NT$5 and NT$1) from the coin tubes 2 of the second group, and then return to the standby mode after the desired amount is outputted. Thus, after one motor 131 of the coin hopper 13 drove the associating coin-pushing module 132 to output all coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 of the first group, the other motor 131 of the coin hopper 13 will be driven to move the associating coin-pushing module 132 and to further output coins 3 from the coin tubes 2 of the second group. This method enables the frequency of use of each motor 131 to be approximately equal, prolonging the lifespan of the motors 131. Thus, all the motors 131 can be replaced at a time after a long period of use, saving the replacement time and labor cost.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101140306 A | Oct 2012 | TW | national |
| 101149777 A | Dec 2012 | TW | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6776703 | Abe et al. | Aug 2004 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140120817 A1 | May 2014 | US |
