JP2002352294A - Coin sorter and automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a jam releasing means to release a jammed state by applying an impact to jammed coins when so called a coin jam state that coins can not pass a withdrawal port provided for sorting is generated and a jam detecting means to detect the jam, in a coin sorter. SOLUTION: The number of coins for every denomination supplied from the coin sorter 150 is compared with the number of coins for every denomination detected by sensors for every denomination 520, 530 and 540 after passing the coin sorter and integrated by counters 550, 560 and 570 for every denomination, when both numbers are noncoincident with each other, it is judged as 'a coin jam is generated' and a solenoid unit 8 is driven via a drive circuit 580.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin sorting device used in vending machines and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A coin inserted into a vending machine is authenticated by a coin selector (positive coin judging device),
The coins determined to be regular coins are sorted for each denomination so that the vending machine can use them as change, and are deposited into a change hopper. Here, in order to sort coins by denomination, a coin outer sorter (coin sorter) that sorts coins based on the diameter of the coin has been widely used.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a conventional coin sorting apparatus, and FIG. 15 is a view of a part thereof viewed from above. Here, the coin sorting device shown is 10 yen, 50 yen.
It is assumed that three types of coins, yen and 100 yen, are handled.

As shown in FIG. 15, a conventional coin sorting apparatus comprises a guide plate comprising a guide 10a and a guide 10b, a plate 20 having a hole, a plate 30 having an opening, and a base 40. It consists of a plate. Each of the plates constituting the coin sorting apparatus is automatically arranged so that the guide 10a is located slightly behind the guide 10b in FIG. 14 (so as to be slightly inclined with respect to the vertical direction). It is attached to the housing of the vending machine.

[0005] In the coin sorting device having such a configuration,
The coin C supplied from the coin selector is transported from the left to the right in FIG. 14 by a transport belt (not shown). At this time, the movement of the coin C in the vertical direction is restricted by the guides 10a and 10b, and the coin C is conveyed while being in contact with the plate 20 having the punched holes. The plate 20 is provided with a punched hole having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of each coin to be handled, in order of decreasing diameter along the coin C transport direction (FIG. 14). The three types of coins are 50 yen, 100 yen and 10
Since the coin is a yen coin, the plate 20 is provided with corresponding holes HL50, HL100, and HL10 in order along the transport direction. The plate 30 has openings corresponding to the respective holes provided in the plate 20 for guiding coins passing through the holes to a change hopper (not shown) installed below. Each is provided at a position slightly displaced from the punched hole in the transporting direction.

[0006] The base 40 is provided to prevent and prevent coins that have entered the opening of the plate 30 from proceeding to the back side of the paper in FIG. Therefore, the coin C transported while being in contact with the plate 20 passes through a hole having a diameter of a corresponding size due to its own weight and the transporting force from the transport belt, and further passes through an opening provided in the plate 30. It is guided and falls to the change hopper below.

FIG. 1 shows a case where coin C is a 100 yen coin.
This will be described more specifically with reference to FIG. The coin C supplied from the coin selector is conveyed from left to right on the paper by a conveying belt (not shown) while being in contact with the plate 20. First, the coin C reaches the punched hole HL50 provided in the plate 20, but since the diameter of the coin C is larger than the diameter of the HL50, the coin C passes through the punched hole HL50 and the opening provided in the plate 30. The sheet is further conveyed to the right on the conveying path without falling to the PL 50. When the coin C reaches the corresponding hole HL100, the coin C passes through the hole HL100, and further falls into the corresponding opening PL100 on the plate 30, and the change for a 100-yen coin (not shown). You are guided to the hopper.
In this way, the coins supplied from the coin selector are sorted by denomination.

[0008]

As described above, the punched holes for selecting coins for each denomination are provided so that the size thereof is substantially equal to the diameter of coins of each denomination. I have. Therefore, when the coin is deformed or when there is a burr (see FIG. 16) due to a scratch or the like on the edge of the coin, the coin cannot pass through the corresponding hole, and the coin is jammed. There was sometimes.

Conventionally, when a coin jam has occurred as described above, it has been necessary to temporarily stop the vending machine itself in order to release the jam and to perform a recovery operation to release the jam. As a result, not only the operating rate of the vending machine has been reduced, but also the clerk has to bear the work load associated with the restoration work.

[0010] Further, since the customer is to wait until the vending machine is restored, the service to the customer is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a coin sorting device capable of releasing a jammed state more quickly when a coin is jammed in the coin sorting device. And vending machines.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a coin sorting apparatus according to the present invention has an opening through which a specific type of coin passes, and the coin sorting device passes the coin through the opening. A coin sorter for sorting coins of the type described above, by applying force to the vicinity of the opening to release the coin from the jam when there is a jammed coin near the opening. It is characterized by having release means. When the coin is jammed in the vicinity of the opening by the release means, the jam of the coin can be released.

Further, the coin sorting apparatus according to the present invention has an opening through which a specific kind of coin passes, and sorts a specific kind of coin by passing through the opening. And detecting means for detecting whether or not the coin is jammed in the vicinity of the opening. This makes it possible to detect that a coin is jammed.

Further, a vending machine according to the present invention is provided with any one of the coin sorting apparatuses described above.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION First, an overall configuration of a vending machine provided with a coin outer shape sorting unit (coin sorting device) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The vending machine 100 includes an inclined customer service unit 110 provided with a push button, a coin slot 130, a display unit, and the like, in which a customer service surface is inclined. An appropriate guide passage is provided so as to guide the coins inserted into the coin separating / conveying device 140 for separating the coins. The plurality of coins C guided from the coin insertion slot 130 are separated into single coins in a coin separating / conveying device 140, and the separated coins are appropriately sent to an adjacent positive coin discriminating device (coin selector) 150. Is supplied through a simple guide passage.
The coin supplied to the positive coin identification device 150 is subjected to coin authenticity determination processing by the positive coin identification device 150, and only real coins are sorted by bridging from the positive coin identification device 150 by an appropriate guide passage. It is supplied to the device 160. At the time of authenticity judgment processing, the positive coin identification device 150 counts the number of types of coins (first counting means),
The input amount and the like are calculated based on the counting result. Then, the value of the calculated input amount is used for settlement processing such as ticketing processing of a vending machine. Such a positive coin identification device and the settlement processing are the same as those of a general vending machine, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The coin supplied to the coin sorting device 160 is
The coins are sorted by denomination, sent to a change hopper 170 corresponding to the denomination of the coin, and held. Furthermore,
The vending machine 100 is internally provided with a processing unit 120 for performing control processing necessary for each of the above-described processes, ticketing processing, and the like. The above is the vending machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a schematic description of the overall configuration of the first embodiment. Hereinafter, a coin outer sorter (coin sorter) 160 which is a feature of the present invention will be described.
Will be described in detail.

B. Embodiment B-1. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the number of coins to be handled is 10
160 yen, 50 yen, and 100 yen external sorter (coin sorter)
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a coin sorting device 160.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 taken along the line IV-IV (partially omitted).

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the coin sorting apparatus 160 according to the present embodiment comprises a substantially flat guide plate 1a and a guide plate 1b, and a plate 2 having a punched hole.
, A shutter 3 (release means) and a base 4, which are stacked and arranged.

Further, a transport belt 7 extending in the coin transport direction, which is the left-right direction in FIG. 3, is disposed further above the guide plates 1a and 1b arranged at the uppermost layer among the above-mentioned components. ing. The transport belt 7 is driven by a drive source such as a motor (not shown), and the coin C supplied from the coin selector to the coin sorting device 160 is transported by the transport belt 7 from left to right in the drawing.

The plate 2 is fixed to the housing of the vending machine 100 via a mounting part (not shown), and the plate 2 is provided with guide plates 1a and 1b, a shutter 3 and a base 4 with screws 6a and 6b. Are fixed in the state of being stacked and arranged as described above. Here, two screw holes K1 and K2 are provided at a predetermined interval L above the guide plate 1a.
Is provided, and a screw hole K is provided at the upper part of the plate 2.
3 and K4, and two screw holes K5 and K6 are provided at an upper portion of the base 4 with an interval L therebetween. Further, two square holes P extending in the left-right direction are provided in the shutter portion 3.
1, P2, and these screw holes K1, K2
2, screw holes K3, K4, square holes P1, P2 and screw holes K
5, components other than the shutter unit 3 are fixed by the screws 6a and 6b through which the K6 is inserted in a state where the components are stacked and arranged as described above. Here, the shutter unit 3
Is not fixed to other components by the screws 6a and 6b, and is movable in the direction of the conveyance path within the range of the length of the square holes P1 and P2 in the left-right direction. It is sandwiched between the tables 4.

Here, in order to facilitate the transportation of the coin C,
It is desirable to reduce the friction between the coin C and the transport path by arranging the members so that the transport path surface is vertical. Further, in order to encourage the coin C to drop into a punched hole provided in the plate 2 described later, the transport path may be arranged at a slight inclination so that the coin C is dropped by its own weight. In consideration of the above two points, as shown in FIG. 2 to FIG.
Is fixed to the housing of the vending machine 100 so as to be inclined by a small angle θ from the vertical direction.

Next, FIGS. 5 to 8 show a coin sorting apparatus 1.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing members constituting the first embodiment; Hereinafter, each member will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and FIG.
The guide plates 1a and 1b are arranged substantially parallel to each other at a slightly larger interval than the diameter of the largest coin among the coins to be handled. A space between the guide plates 1a and 1b arranged in parallel is a conveyance path for the coin C, and the guide plate 1
a and 1b contact the upper and lower sides of the coin C conveyed on this conveyance path, thereby suppressing the vertical movement of the coin C. Thereby, the coin C does not shake in the vertical direction,
The sheet is conveyed by the conveyor belt 7 from left to right in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and FIG. 6, the plate 2 is provided with punched holes H50, H100 and H10 each having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of each coin to be handled. , Are provided in ascending order of diameter. The coins handled in the present embodiment are of three types, 50 yen, 100 yen and 10 yen, in order from the smaller diameter. For this reason, the plate 2 is provided with punched holes H50, H100, H10 corresponding to the respective coins to be handled in order along the transporting direction. Therefore, when the coin C conveyed while being in contact with the plate 2 reaches a hole having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the coin C, the coin C due to its own weight and the conveying force from the conveyor belt 7 causes the hole C to be removed. , And is supplied to a shutter section 3 arranged below the plate 2.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and 8, the base 4 is provided with openings P50 and P1 of a shutter 3 to be described later.
In order to prevent a coin that has entered any one of 00 and P10 from advancing to the far side of the paper of FIG. 3, it is arranged below the shutter unit 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7, the shutter portion 3 is provided with openings P50, P100 and P10. These openings P50, P100, P
Each of the coins 10 is formed at a position communicating with the holes H50, H100, and H10 formed in the plate 2, and the coin passing through the communicating holes is installed below the coin sorting device 160. Change hopper 17 not shown
A transport path for guiding to zero is formed. Here, the openings P50, P100, and P10 are provided at positions slightly shifted in the transporting direction from the holes H50, H100, and H10 provided in the plate 2. Under this configuration,
Any of the holes H50, H100, H1 in the plate 2
The coin C that has passed through the zero reaches one of the openings P50, P100, and P10 corresponding to the hole through which the coin C has passed, and is guided to the change hopper 170 (not shown) by the openings P50, P100, and P10. Is done. As a result, the coins supplied to the coin sorting device 160 are sorted for each type and guided to a change hopper that stores coins of the corresponding type.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Are provided with square holes P1 and P2 extending in the coin transport direction, and the square holes P1 and P2 are provided with the screws 6 as described above.
a, 6b are inserted. Thereby, the shutter portion 3 is attached to the plate 2 in a state where the shutter portion 3 is allowed to move with respect to the plate 2 and the base 4 along the transport direction of the coin C.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, a plunger 9 of a solenoid unit 8 is provided at an upper end of the shutter portion 3.
Is mounted via an intervening member 10 so that the shutter portion 3 can move in the coin transport direction with the movement of the plunger 9. Therefore,
By controlling the current supply to the solenoid unit 8 and moving the plunger 9, the shutter portion 3 can be reciprocated along the coin transport direction. The intervening member 10 includes a spring 3
00 is attached, and the intervening member 10 is positioned at a predetermined position when the solenoid unit 8 is not driven by the urging force of the spring 300.

When the shutter 3 is reciprocated, the shutter 3 and the plate 2 sandwiching the shutter 3
In addition, friction may occur between the shutter unit 3 and the base 4, which may hinder the smooth movement of the shutter unit 3. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the collars 5 a and 5 having a slightly larger thickness than the shutter portion 3 are provided inside the square holes P1 and P2.
b are arranged respectively. The collars 5a and 5b are provided with inner holes, and the shutter 3 is sandwiched between the plate 2 and the base 4 by screws 6a and 6b inserted from the base 4 to the guide plate 1a. Can be attached. By the thicknesses of these collars 5a and 5b, a gap is secured between the shutter portion 3 and the plates 2 and 4. Thereby, friction between the two is reduced, and the shutter portion 3 can be smoothly moved with respect to the plate 2 and the base 4.

Since the shutter unit 3 is configured as described above, when the solenoid unit 8 is driven, the shutter unit 3 is repeatedly swung in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The swinging opening P50 of the shutter unit 3 is attached to the coin clogged by the swing.
An impact can be given by colliding near either of P100 and P10. Therefore, it is possible to release the jammed state of the jammed coin by the applied impact.

The coin sorting device 160 is configured as described above, and the solenoid unit 8 is driven by a control signal from a control system 500 described later (see FIG. 9). Therefore, when a coin jam occurs in the sorting unit according to the present embodiment, if the control signal for driving the solenoid unit 8 is output from the control system 500, the shutter unit 3 can perform the jam releasing operation. It is possible. The above is the description of the configuration of the coin sorting device 160 according to the present embodiment.

B-2. Next, a control system 500 in the coin sorting apparatus 160 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The control system 500 includes a coin selector 15
0, 10 yen sensor 520, 50 yen sensor 530 and 100 yen sensor 540, and 10 yen counter 55
Counter 560 for 0, 50 yen and counter 5 for 100 yen
70, a determination unit 510, a drive circuit 580, and a solenoid unit 8.

The coin selector 150 determines the authenticity of the inserted coin, determines the denomination, and counts the number of coins of each denomination, and outputs the counting result to the determination unit 510 (first counting means). 10 yen sensor 520, 50 yen sensor 53
The 0 and 100 yen sensors 540 are respectively provided in the coin sorting device 1
The coins C selected for each denomination by 60 are provided in the middle of the transport path for guiding the coins C to the change hoppers 170 for the respective denominations, and the coins C passing through the respective guide transport paths can be detected. it can. Thereby, the sensor 52 for each 10 yen
0, 50 yen sensor 530 and 100 yen sensor 540
Can count how many coins of a corresponding type have been supplied to the change hopper. As such a 10-yen sensor 520, a 50-yen sensor 530, and a 100-yen sensor 540, for example, an optical sensor can be used. More specifically, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the optical sensor are arranged so as to face each other with the guide conveyance path therebetween. With this configuration, when the coin C passes through the guide conveyance path, the space between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit is temporarily blocked, so that each denomination change hopper 170 passes through the guide conveyance path. Coin C guided to
Can be detected.

The 10-yen sensor 520, the 50-yen sensor 530, and the 100-yen sensor 540 always output the detection signals detected as described above to the denomination counters 550, 5
60 and 570, respectively. Counter 550 for 10 yen, counter 56 for 50 yen
The counter 570 for 0 and 100 yen is an independent counter for each denomination handled, and is a RAM (Random Access Memory).
ry). The counter value held by each denomination counter is determined by the determination unit 510.
Is initialized with the initial value “0” in response to the instruction from

The counter value held by the ten-yen counter 550, the fifty-yen counter 560, and the hundred-yen counter 570 is set to the held counter value each time a detection signal is supplied from the corresponding denomination sensor. It is updated by the value obtained by adding “1”. Therefore, each counter counts the change hopper 17 based on the detection signal supplied from each sensor.
The number of coins guided to 0 can be counted for each denomination (second counting means). The counting result of the number of coins by denomination is determined by the determining unit 510 in response to a request from the determining unit 510.
Supplied to.

The determination unit 510 includes a CPU (Centra not shown)
l Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memor)
y) and a general computer including a ROM (Read Only Memory). The R
The AM functions as the 10-yen counter 550, the 50-yen counter 560, and the 100-yen counter 570, and is used for calculations necessary for various processes. The R
The OM stores various programs and predetermined data necessary for various processes, and the CPU is executed in accordance with these programs and data.

The judging section 510 having the above-described configuration includes the coin number count value supplied from the coin selector 150, the 10-yen counter 550, and the 50-yen counter 560.
And the coin count value supplied from the 100-yen counter 570 for each denomination. If the two values do not match as a result of the comparison, it is determined that "coin jam has occurred", a control signal for driving the solenoid unit 8 is output via the drive circuit 580, and the coin jam is released. The operation is performed. On the other hand, if both values match, it is determined that "coin jam has not occurred"
A reset signal is output to the 10-yen counter 550, the 50-yen counter 560, and the 100-yen counter 570, and the processing in the determination section 510 ends.

In this embodiment, the judgment unit 510
Was built in the coin sorting device 160. However, the control unit 120 of FIG. 1 may function as the determination unit 510, and may be configured separately. The above is the description of the control system 500 in the coin sorting device 160 according to the present embodiment.

B-3. Next, the operation of the coin sorting apparatus 160 according to the present embodiment will be described separately for a case where a coin jam occurs and a case where no coin jam occurs. In the following description,
It is assumed that the conveying motion of the conveying belt 7 continues even while the jam release control is being performed, and a case where one supplied coin C is a 100 yen coin will be described.

(A) When no coin jam occurs First, the operation of the coin sorting apparatus 160 in the case where no coin jam occurs will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 11 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 10 and is a diagram of the coin sorting device 160 as viewed from above.

The coin C supplied from the coin selector 150 is moved by the conveyor belt 7 from left to right in FIG.
It is transported while being in contact with the plate 2. First, the coin C (100-yen coin) has a diameter larger than the diameter of the hole H50 (not shown) provided on the plate 2. Accordingly, the coin C cannot pass through the hole H50 and drop to the opening P50 (not shown) provided in the shutter portion 3, and is further conveyed rightward on the conveying path (from the top in FIG. 11). 1st stage). Then, when approaching the hole H100 corresponding to the 100 yen coin, the coin C
Passes through the hole H100 (the second row from the top in FIG. 11),
Shutter part 3 installed in contact with the hole H100
To reach. As described above, the shutter portion 3 is provided with the opening P100 corresponding to the hole H100 at a position slightly shifted toward the coin transport direction. Therefore, the coin C that has passed through the hole H100 falls into the opening P100 (the third row from the top in FIG. 11).

An opening P10 provided in the shutter section 3
The coin C that has fallen to 0 is guided by the opening to a change hopper 170 (not shown) (not shown) for a 100-yen coin provided below (the fourth row from the top in FIG. 11 and FIG. 1).
0).

As described above, the coin selector 150
Is sorted by denomination and guided to the change hopper 170 corresponding to the denomination.

In parallel with the above operation, the control system 50
A process of determining whether or not a coin is jammed is performed according to 0, but the details have already been described, and a description thereof will be omitted. In this case, no coin jam occurs, so the control system 500 ends the process without controlling the solenoid unit 8. The above is the description of the operation of the coin sorting device 160 in the case where the coin is not jammed.

(B) Case where Coin Jam has Occurred Next, the operation of the coin sorting apparatus 160 when a coin jam has occurred will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, the side view in FIG. 12 and the side view in FIG. 13 are views of the coin sorting device 160 as viewed from the side.
The top view of FIG. 2 and the top view of FIG.
It is the figure which looked at from the top.

The coin C supplied from the coin selector 150 is the same as in the case where no coin jam occurs as described above.
(100 yen coin) is transported by a conveyor belt 7 (not shown) to
Are transported from left to right in the side view of FIG. And the coin C originally transported
(100 yen coin) passes through the hole H100 when it reaches the hole H100 corresponding to the 100 yen coin (FIG. 1).
1 (second step from the top) and reaches the shutter section 3 installed in contact with the hole H100.

However, as shown in FIG. 16, when the coin C which is conveyed and tries to pass through the hole H100 has a flaw or a burr, as shown in the top view of FIG. C may be caught in the vicinity of the hole H100 of the plate 2 and may not reach the shutter 3, so-called a jam of coins may occur. Even when such a coin jam occurs, the coin sorting apparatus 160 of the present embodiment does not supply the jammed coin C to the change hopper 170 corresponding to the denomination. The determination unit 510 determines that “coin jam has occurred”. When a coin jam is detected in this manner, the determination unit 510 sends the signal to the solenoid unit 8 via the drive circuit 580.
, Whereby the shutter portion 3 is swung to release the jammed coins as described above.

The coin C released from the jammed state passes through the hole H100 (the second stage from the top in FIG. 11), and reaches the shutter portion 3 installed in contact with the hole H100. (Third stage and fourth stage from the top in FIG. 11). Accordingly, the coin C is thereafter guided to a change hopper 170 (not shown) (for the 100-yen coin) in the same manner as in the case where the coin is not jammed (fourth step from the top in FIG. 10). More than,
4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the coin sorting device 160 according to the embodiment of the present invention when a coin jam occurs.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a coin jam occurs in the coin sorting apparatus 160, the coin jam can be detected. Furthermore, when a jam of coins is detected, a shock is applied to the jammed coins C to release the jammed coins. Therefore, even when a coin jam occurs, it is possible to automatically detect the coin jam and release the jammed coin. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the necessity of stopping a vending machine and performing a recovery operation by a clerk as compared with the related art.

The coin sorting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment
The structure 60 is such that the shutter unit 3 is moved by driving the solenoid unit 8. However, if the shutter unit 3 can be repeatedly moved along the direction of the transport path of the coin C, that is, in the left-right direction in the side view of FIG. 12, not only the solenoid unit,
Other power sources may be used. Similarly, if the shutter portion 3 can be linearly and repeatedly moved along the coin transport path, the mounting position of the solenoid unit 8 with respect to the shutter portion 3 is limited to the position shown in FIG. is not. As an example, the shutter unit 3 may be attached to the leftmost end (not shown) of the shutter unit 3.

C. 4. Modifications Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. As a variant,
For example, the following can be considered.

<Modification 1> In the above-described embodiment, the coin outer sorter (coin sorter) is provided in a configuration incorporated in the vending machine. However, the coin sorter is sold as a single unit. It may be provided to the user.

<Modification 2> The shutter 3 in the above embodiment has a plurality of openings to function to guide coins to the change hopper, and also to function as release means for releasing jams of coins. However, a plate for guiding coins provided with an opening and a shutter for releasing jammed coins may be provided separately.

<Modification 3> In the above-described embodiment and each modification, the shutter 3 is repeatedly moved in the direction of the coin conveyance path to directly apply a force to the coin and release the jam. A force may be applied to the vicinity of the punched hole and the opening by another method to release the clogged state. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a force perpendicular to the direction of the transport path and in a direction from the base 4 to the guide plate 1 (in FIG. 3, a front side in the drawing) is directly applied to the coin.
As a supply source of the force perpendicular to the direction of the transport path, for example, a configuration including a fan having an outlet and ejecting air in addition to a solenoid unit can be used. By doing so, it is possible to apply a force from a direction that is significantly different from the transport direction of the jammed coins, and it is possible to more effectively release the jammed coins.

<Modification 4> The operation of releasing the jammed coins in the above-described embodiment is performed until the jammed coins are resolved, that is, the coin counts of the respective denominations before and after passing through the coin sorting device 160 match. The operation may be repeated until the operation is repeated. However, a predetermined maximum number of repetitions may be set in advance to limit the number of repetitions of the coin jam release operation. More specifically, for example, when the maximum number of repetitions is set to “3”, even if the coin clogging is not solved, the clogging release operation is not repeated up to three times and the process is terminated. Become like In this way, even if a coin jam occurs such that the jam is not released even if the shutter portion 3 is swung many times, an infinite loop that repeatedly executes the jam jam releasing operation endlessly is avoided. It becomes possible.

Further, the system is provided with an alarming means or the like so that if the coin jam is not cleared even after repeating the coin jam releasing operation a predetermined number of times, an error process such as calling a staff member is performed. do it.

<Modification 5> In the modification 4, when a coin jam is detected, the jam release operation is performed a predetermined number of times. Instead, a predetermined time limit is set. It may be configured in advance to enable the clogging release operation only during the predetermined time limit.

<Modification 6> In the above embodiment and each modification, first, it is determined whether or not a coin is jammed, and if it is determined that the coin is jammed, the jam releasing operation is performed. Regardless of the presence or absence of the vending machine, the configuration may be such that the jam release operation is automatically performed at predetermined time intervals or after a predetermined time has elapsed after coins are inserted into the vending machine. In this way, it is possible to omit the processing and the device related to the detection and determination of the clogging. Therefore, since the apparatus can be simplified, it is possible to provide a coin sorting apparatus provided with a low-cost jam release means.

<Modification 7> In the above-described embodiment and each modification, a configuration is provided in which jam release means for releasing a jam of coins is provided. It is also possible to adopt a configuration provided with alarm means or the like. Then, when the coin jam is detected by the coin jam detection means, error processing such as notifying a staff member by the notification means is executed. In this way, if a coin is jammed, it is possible to promptly notify a staff member of the situation and promptly prompt a recovery operation.

<Modification 8> In the above-described embodiment and each modification, the coin conveying path in the coin sorting apparatus is formed in a linear direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 3). The present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to, for example, a coin sorting device having an arc-shaped conveyance path.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a coin sorting apparatus capable of quickly detecting a generated coin jam and releasing the coin jam. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the sales stoppage time due to the jam in the coin sorting device, and further reduce the burden on the staff who spends the recovery work when the jam occurs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of a conventional general vending machine.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the guide plate 1 constituting the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a plate 2 constituting the coin sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a shutter unit 3 included in the coin sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a base 4 constituting the coin sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining how coins are sorted by the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view schematically showing a state where coins are sorted by the coin sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are a side view and a top view for explaining a state of a coin jam occurring in the coin sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention and an operation of releasing the coin jam.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are a side view and a top view for explaining a state of a coin jam that has occurred in the coin sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention and a release operation of the coin jam.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a conventional outer shape sorting unit (coin sorting device).

FIG. 15 is a view of a part of a conventional outer shape sorting unit (coin sorting device) as viewed from above.

FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing “burrs” generated on a side surface of a coin.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b, 10a, 10b ... guide plate, 2, 20, 3
0: plate, 3: shutter (release means), 4, 4
0: base, 5a, 5b: collar, 6a, 6b: fixing screw, 7, 70: conveyor belt, 8: solenoid unit,
9: plunger, 10: intervening member, 100: vending machine, 110: inclined customer service unit, 120: processing unit, 130:
Coin insertion slot, 140: coin separating / conveying device, 150: positive coin identification device (coin selector: first counting means),
160: coin outer shape sorting unit (coin sorting device), 170: change hopper, 500: control system, 510: judgment unit, 5
20 ... 10 yen sensor, 530 ... 50 yen sensor, 54
0 ... 100 yen sensor, 550 ... 10 yen counter, 5
60 ... 50 yen counter, 570 ... 100 yen counter, 580 ... drive circuit, C ... coin, H50, H100,
H10, HL50, HL100, HL10: Coin sorting punch holes, P50, P100, P10, PL50, PL1
00, PL10: opening, P1, P2: square hole for penetration, K
1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6 ... screw holes for fixing.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A coin sorting device having an opening through which a specific type of coin passes, and selecting a coin of a specific type by passing through the opening, wherein a force is applied near the opening. Thus, when there is a jammed coin near the opening, a coin sorting device is provided with a release means for releasing the jammed coin from the jammed state. 2. The coin sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect whether or not the coin is jammed in the vicinity of the opening, and the release unit configured to detect the coin by the detection unit. A coin sorting apparatus for applying a force to the vicinity of the opening when it is detected that the coin is clogged. 3. The coin sorting device according to claim 2, wherein the detecting means includes: first counting means for counting the number of coins of the specific type before passing through the opening; and the opening. And a second counting means for counting the number of coins of the specific type after passing through the second coin. The counting result by the first counting means is
A coin sorting device that determines that a coin is jammed in the vicinity of the opening when the counting result is larger than the counting result of the counting means. 4. The coin sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing means applies a force to the vicinity of the opening at predetermined time intervals. 5. The coin sorting device according to claim 1, further comprising a transport path forming member provided at a position in contact with the opening, for guiding coins passing through the opening along a predetermined route. The coin sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release unit applies a force near the opening by moving the transport path forming member. 6. A coin sorting device that has an opening through which a specific type of coin passes, and sorts a specific type of coin by passing through the opening, wherein the coin is located near the opening. A coin sorting device comprising a detecting means for detecting whether or not the coin is jammed. 7. The coin sorting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the detection unit is configured to count the number of coins of the specific type before passing through the opening, and the opening. And a second counting means for counting the number of coins of the specific type after passing through the second coin. The counting result by the first counting means is
A coin sorting device that determines that a coin is jammed in the vicinity of the opening when the counting result is larger than the counting result by the counting means. 8. A vending machine comprising the coin sorting device according to claim 1. Description: