JP4912717B2 - Coin dispenser - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a coin dispensing device, and more particularly to a coin dispensing device that is suitable for application when a medal captured in a disk is smoothly fed downstream.

  Generally, in a gaming machine such as a slot machine, a money changer, a vending machine, etc., a coin dispensing device is used to automatically throw out (pay out) medals (coins) to a predetermined position.

  As this coin throwing device, a disk for capturing medals disposed in the lower part of a hopper in which a large number of medals are stored is rotated by a rotation driving means such as a motor, and the disk is arranged along the circumferential direction of the disk. The medals are captured and accommodated by a plurality of capture holes formed in this manner, and the captured medals are separated from each other in contact with the base surface of the bottom of the hopper, one by one using the gap on the back surface of the disk, and sequentially. What is sent out in the payout direction is known.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a medal M captured in a capture hole 112A formed in a disk 112 is rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. By doing so, the coin dispensing device 100 is disclosed in which it is fed to the first rail 126 through the first discharge port 120 and sent to the second rail 128 through the second discharge port by counterclockwise rotation.

  For convenience, the case of counterclockwise rotation will be described here, but the principle of clockwise rotation is substantially the same.

  The medal M captured in the capture hole 112A is pushed by a fin (extruded member, not shown) attached to the back surface thereof according to the rotation of the disk 112, and a fixed guide composed of two pins 118A and 118B. The spring 148 is supported by a lever 140 that is biased in the left direction in the drawing, and is moved to a position where it abuts against a bearing 144 that is biased in the direction of the guide. Then, it is sent out in the direction of the second rail 128.

  In this coin dispensing device, even if the action of forcibly pushing out the medal with the rotation of the disk 112 does not reach, the medal M is placed in the hopper (disk direction) by the bearing 144 biased in the fixed guide direction. Is prevented from being pushed back.

  Specifically, in order to keep the medal sent to the earliest position where the fin of the disk 112 is reachable in that position until the next medal is sent out, as described above, A passage narrower than the width of the medal is formed between the two push pins (fixed guides) 118 </ b> A and 118 </ b> B and the bearing 144.

  When the medal moves forward while expanding the bearing 144 and exceeds its apex, the medal is pushed forward by the bearing 144 biased in the closing direction, and the push pin positioned forward with the bearing 144 is pushed. The medal is stopped at a position (not shown) in contact with 118A and waits at that position. That is, the bearing 144 functions as a means for preventing the backflow of medals sent to the rail 128.

JP 2002-222446 A

  However, since the next medal is captured in a state where a part of the medal waiting at the front end in the rotation direction enters the capture hole 112A of the rotating disk 112, the medal is placed at the rear end of the standby medal. After riding, the rear end of the next medal may be in contact with the base surface. In this way, the disc 112 rotates at the rear end portion of the next medal captured with the rear end side inclined downward, and is formed between the disc back surface and the base surface of the capture hole 112A. When the gap approaches, the gap is formed at an interval with a slight margin in the thickness of the medal, so that the rear end of the next medal that is in contact with the base surface is wedged into this gap. As a result, the medal can not be separated and discharged, and further, there is a problem that it stops at that position and becomes locked.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and even when the front end of the next medal rides on the standby medal positioned on the front side in the rotation direction of the disk, the rear end of the next medal is separated from the medal. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coin dispensing device that can surely prevent a medal from being bitten into a wedge state and biting into a wedge state, and that can achieve a smooth medal payout as a result.

  The present invention relates to a hopper on a base that stores medals, and a disk that is rotatably supported on a base surface of the lower portion of the hopper and that has a plurality of medal catch holes in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis. And a push-out member provided on the back side of the disc for pushing out the medal on the base surface captured in the medal catch hole by the rotation of the disc to the discharge port. From the rear end of the standby medal pushed out to the exit, the rear end of the next medal captured while riding on the standby medal is arranged on the base surface behind the medal capture hole in the rotation direction. Provided with a climbing prevention means having a support portion that supports a height not contacting the surface, and an inclined surface having an obtuse angle with respect to the base surface is formed upstream of the support portion in the medal traveling direction. By the above section It is obtained by solving.

  In the present invention, the support portion further supports the next medal captured in a state where it rides on a rigid body protruding from the base surface in the vicinity of the discharge port at a height at which the rear end does not contact the base surface. It may be formed in a predetermined range in the rotation direction.

  According to the present invention, the rear end of the next medal is lifted from the base surface by the climbing prevention means even if the front end of the next medal is caught in the medal catching hole with the front end of the next medal on the rear end or the like of the standby medal. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the rear end portion of the medal from being wedged into the gap between the back surface of the disc and the base surface, and as a result, the medal can be smoothly paid out. it can.

  In addition, the support unit can support the next medal captured in a state where it rides on a rigid body protruding from the base surface in the vicinity of the discharge port at a height where the rear end does not contact the base surface, In the case where it is formed within a predetermined range in the rotation direction, when the next medal rides on a guide such as an extrusion pin for guiding the medal in the rail direction, the next medal is similarly bited into the gap. Can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a coin dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the state in which a hopper is removed from FIG.

  The coin dispensing device of this embodiment includes a hopper 10 that stores medals and a disk 12 that is rotatably supported on a base surface, which will be described later, at the lower part of the hopper 10. As the disk 12 rotates. The medal captured in the three capture holes 12A formed in the circumferential direction around the rotation shaft (not shown) is moved along the upper surface (base surface) of the base 14 that supports the hopper 10, and the discharge port described later After being pushed out, it can be sent out to a payout position (not shown) through a rail 16 disposed on the downstream side.

  FIG. 3 shows a base assembly corresponding to the base 14 constituting the lower portion of the hopper shown in FIG. 2 separated from the frame portion containing the driving means (not shown) together with the disk 12 and the like. Show.

  As shown in each exploded perspective view of the base assembly when viewed from the front in FIG. 4 and when viewed from the rear in FIG. 5, the base 14 has a plate-like base body 18 and the front side of the base body 18. And a plate-like guide 20 that is closely fixed to the base surface 18A. The disk 12 is positioned in a guide hole close to the circular shape of the guide 20 and is fixed to the back side of the base body 18 (not shown). ) Can be rotated.

  The guide 20 has a center guide 22 and a discharge plate 24 that constitute the rear end of the rail 16 that guides medals in the payout direction, and a single guide 26 for restricting the discharge direction of the medals to the right side. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the disk 12 includes a main disk 28 having a capture hole 12A formed therethrough, and a sub surface having a side surface substantially fixed to the periphery of the capture hole 12A, which is fixed to the back surface thereof with screws. Disk 30. The sub-disc (extrusion member) 30 moves the medals in contact with the base surface 18A located at the lowest position captured in the capture hole 12A in the rail direction as the disc 12 rotates, and discharges which will be described later. It acts as a so-called fin that pushes out to the outlet. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the main disk 28 is removed from FIG. 3 so that the relationship between the sub disk 30 and one medal on the base surface 18A can be easily understood.

  A backflow prevention spring 32 comprising a leaf spring as a backflow prevention means for preventing backflow of medals, which will be described in detail later, is fixed to the base back surface 18B on the back side of the base body 18 with a fixing screw 34, and the medal is used to prevent backflow. A holding portion 32A that holds the protrusion protrudes from the front-side base surface 18A and can protrude and retract.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a climbing prevention spring 33 made up of a leaf spring that prevents the wedge-shaped medal biting into the gap between the back surface of the main disk 28 and the base surface 18 is also provided by the same fixing screw 34 on the base back surface 18B. A support portion 33A that is fixed and prevents the next medal from riding on a standby medal or the like in the forward direction of rotation similarly protrudes from the base surface 18A and can appear and disappear. However, the support portion 33A for the climbing prevention spring is omitted in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 in which the sub disk 30 is exposed except for the main disk 28, the center guide 22 and the discharge plate connected to the single guide 26 fixed to the base surface 18A. A medal passage communicating with the rail 16 is formed by 24 and a cover (not shown) fixed to these from the side facing the base surface 18A.

  The vicinity of the center guide 22 and the rear end portion of the discharge plate 24 is a substantial medal discharge port 36 of the hopper 10, and the medal M is pushed out from the lower portion of the hopper to the discharge port 36 by the sub disk 30. Then, it is sent out to the rail 16.

  When one medal M shown in FIG. 6 is gradually moved in the rotating direction by the sub-disk 30 rotating counterclockwise and finally pushed out to the discharge port 36, the next medal is similarly Since it is necessary to wait at that position until it is pushed out by the sub-disk 30, the pushed-out medal M is held so as not to flow backward.

  In the present embodiment, the backflow prevention spring 32 is employed in order to hold the medal M pushed out to the discharge port 36 and make it stand by.

  The reverse flow prevention spring 32 has an upstream end fixed to the base back surface 18B by the fixing screw 34, as shown in FIG. 7 in which a part of the cross section corresponding to the AA cross section of FIG. Yes. Further, on the downstream side of the backflow prevention spring 32, a medal holding portion 32A in which a leaf spring is bent at an acute angle in the direction of the disk 12 is formed, and the tip of the holding portion 32A has a base body 18 in the vicinity of the discharge port 36. Through the first through-hole 38 formed in the above-mentioned, it is urged in the direction of the disk 12 with the fixing position by the fixing screw 34 as a fulcrum so as to protrude upward from the base surface 18A, and its tip portion is It is in contact with the base back surface 18B and is maintained in the state shown in FIG.

  Further, the upstream inclined surface 32B of the leaf spring constituting the medal holding portion 32A is formed at an obtuse angle α with respect to the base surface 18A, and conversely, the downstream inclined surface 32C is formed at an acute angle β.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the climbing prevention spring 33 is fixed to the base back surface 18 </ b> B so as to overlap the backflow prevention spring 32 by the same fixing screw 34, and the support portion 33 </ b> A is Through a second through hole 39 formed along the rotational direction upstream of the first through hole 38, the upper end protrudes above the base surface 18A within the medal diameter range from the rear end of a standby medal described later. It is arranged.

  The support portion 33A of the climbing prevention spring 33 is a rigid body located on the rotation circumference of the medal catch hole 12A of the disc 12 in the rotation direction front (downstream side) of the catch holes such as standby medals and guides described later. In addition, when the front end side of the next medal rides on, the second medal is supported upward by spring elasticity so that the rear end on the opposite side cannot contact the base surface 18A.

  The support portion 33A of the climbing prevention spring 33 has an upstream inclined surface 33B formed at an obtuse angle γ with respect to the base surface 18A, and a medal normally captured in the capture hole 12A, that is, a standby medal or the like When the medals that are not riding on the sub disk 30 are pushed out by the sub disk 30, the movement of the medals whose upward movement is restricted by the back surface of the disk 12 is easily pushed down to almost the same height as the base surface 18A. The medal is reliably sent downstream.

  Further, even when the support portion 33A is captured in the medal capturing hole 12A in a state where the tip of the next medal rides on the center guide (rigid body) 22 protruding in the vicinity of the discharge port 36, It is formed over a predetermined range (length) in the rotational direction so that the end can be supported so as not to contact the base surface 18A.

  Further, the downstream inclined surface 33C of the support portion 33A is also formed at an obtuse angle δ with respect to the base surface 18A. Therefore, although not shown in the drawings, the guide 20 is changed, the rails 16 are attached to both the left and right sides, and the disk 12 is rotated clockwise to pay out medals from the left rail. It can be used as it is.

  The first through hole 38 in which the holding portion 32A of the backflow prevention spring 32 protrudes and retracts in the base surface 18A and the second through hole 39 in which the support portion 33A of the climbing prevention spring 33 similarly protrudes and retracts are the size of the medal used. Each is formed with a long hole so that it can be adjusted according to the height.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  First, in order to facilitate understanding, description will be given of biting of medals when there is no climbing prevention spring.

  8 corresponding to the plan view of the base assembly shown in FIG. 3, the standby medal M1 is held by the holding portion 32A, and a part of the rear end side of the disc enters the catch hole 12A of the disc 12. Indicates the rotation state.

  When the disc shown in FIG. 8 is in the rotating state, the next medal M2 is captured in the catch hole 12A where a part of the standby medal M1 is visible, and as shown in FIG. Assuming that the front end of the next medal M2 is in a state of riding, the rear end in the rotational direction of the next medal M2 is located on the base surface 18A as shown in FIG. Will be in contact.

  When the disk 12 starts to rotate counterclockwise from this state, it is formed according to the thickness of the sub disk 30 on the upstream side in contact with the base surface 18A of the captured next medal M2 as shown in FIG. The rear end portion of the next medal M2 enters the gap 12B between the base surface 18A and the back surface of the main disk 28.

  As a result, a force is applied from the back surface of the main disk 28 to the next medal M2 by pushing it down in the direction of the base surface 18A and leveling it. (Capture medal) M2 cannot be horizontal and is rotated in an inclined state.

  When rotated as it is, the center guide 22 appears in the capture hole 12A in the medal advancing direction as shown in FIG. The center guide 22 functions to separate the next medal M2 above the normal standby medal M1 upward, so that the next medal M2 is pushed up in a direction away from the base surface 18A. However, as described above, the second medal M2 has the rear end in the rotational direction at the other end sandwiched in the gap 12B formed corresponding to the difference between the main disk 28 and the sub disk 30, so that If the angle exceeds a certain angle, it cannot be pushed upward, and the disk cannot be rotated as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the next medal M2 in the catch hole 12A is not changed even if the next medal M2 is on the standby medal M1 as in FIG. Since the rear end portion in the rotational direction rides on the support portion 33A, the rear end portion is supported above the base surface 18A, and the entry into the gap 12B is effectively prevented.

  When the disk 12 rotates counterclockwise in this state, the next medal M2 is pushed by the rear end wall of the catch hole 12A and moves in the rotation direction of the disk 12. When the center guide 22 enters the capture hole 12A as in FIG. 12, the tip of the next medal M2 comes into contact with the center guide 22. Since the portion of the center guide 22 where the medal comes into contact is chamfered on the slope, the next medal M2 is moved away from the base surface 18A as shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the rear end portion of the next medal M2 riding on the standby medal M1 is not bitten into the gap 12B of the disk 12, and thus moves upward along the slope of the center guide 22. Since it is possible, the rear end portion of the next medal M2 is prevented from being wedged into the gap 12B as shown in FIG. 13 without the climbing prevention spring 33.

  Further, since the climbing prevention spring 33 is also arranged on the rotation circumference of the catch hole 12A of the disk 12, when the front end portion of the medal M rides on the climbing prevention spring 33 as shown in FIG. As a result, the same situation occurs as when the user rides on the standby medal M1. However, since the climbing prevention spring 33 is formed so as to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the base surface 18A, it can be lowered to almost the same height as the base surface 18A.

  Accordingly, since the rotation is started after the medal M is captured as shown in FIG. 16, the rear end portion of the medal M is wedged into the gap 12B as shown in FIG. If the medal is pushed down, the climbing prevention spring 33 moves downward, so that the medal can be in a horizontal state substantially coincident with the base surface 18A as shown in FIG. can do.

  As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, even when guides such as standby medals and push pins exist on the rotation circumference of the catch hole of the disc, the medal front end portion rides on the medals. Since the occurrence of clogging of medals due to the rear end portion of the rear end biting into the gap can be prevented, smooth discharge of medals can be realized.

  In addition, since the upstream inclined surface 33B of the support portion 33A is made obtuse with respect to the base surface 18A, the medals normally captured in the medal capturing hole can be sent out smoothly.

  In the present embodiment, the backflow prevention spring 32 has an obtuse angle with respect to the base surface 18A because the upstream inclined surface 32B of the holding portion 32A protruding from the base surface 18A when no load is applied. The holding portion 32A can be easily pushed down by the medal M pushed out from the upstream side. Conversely, since the downstream inclined surface 32C has an acute angle with respect to the base surface 18A, it is difficult for a force to lower the holding portion 32A to be generated from the downstream side.

  Therefore, even if the medal M is pushed back from the downstream side, the holding portion 32A of the backflow prevention spring 32 is effectively prevented from being pulled below the base surface 18A. Moreover, since the fulcrum where the backflow prevention spring 32 is fixed by the fixing screw 34 is set on the upstream side with respect to the holding portion 32A, as shown in FIG. Even if a reverse load is applied to the downstream inclined surface 32C of the holding portion 32A, it is converted to an upward force in the rotational direction indicated by the arrow, and therefore the holding portion 32A is biased upward from the base surface 18A. Become. As a result, the holding portion 32A is prevented from being lowered below the base surface 18A, so that the medal backflow can be reliably prevented.

  In addition, as a climbing prevention means applicable to this embodiment, if it is an elastic member which has the substantially same function as 33 A of support parts, it will not be limited to the climbing prevention spring which consists of the said leaf | plate spring.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the case where both the upstream and downstream inclined surfaces 33B and 33C of the support portion 33A are obtuse with respect to the base surface is shown. It may be made to become.

  Further, the backflow prevention means is not limited to the backflow prevention spring 32, but may be other means such as the bearing shown in FIG.

The perspective view which shows the coin dispensing apparatus of one Embodiment which concerns on this invention. The partial perspective view which expands and shows the coin throwing-out apparatus except the hopper from FIG. The perspective view which shows the base assembly above the base shown in FIG. Exploded perspective view of the base assembly seen from the front side The exploded perspective view of the above-mentioned base assembly seen from the back side The perspective view which shows the state which removed the main disk from FIG. Enlarged partial sectional view showing the relationship between the backflow prevention spring and climbing prevention spring and the base surface when no load is applied A plan view showing the relationship between the standby medal and the disc capture hole The top view which shows the state by which the next medal was captured by the capture hole of FIG. FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the relationship between the standby medal and the next medal by breaking FIG. 9 in the medal advancing direction when there is no climbing prevention spring. The fragmentary perspective view which shows a mode that the rear end part of the waiting medal of FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a state in which the disc is rotated from the state of FIG. 9 and the standby medal is locked. The fragmentary perspective view which shows the state which fractured | ruptured FIG. Partial perspective view corresponding to FIG. 10 when there is a climbing prevention spring Partial perspective view showing a state in which the waiting medal is prevented from biting into the gap Partial perspective view showing how the front end of the medal rides on the climbing prevention spring The partial perspective view which shows a mode that a disk rotates from the state of FIG. 16, and pushes down a boarding prevention spring. Partial perspective view showing a state in which the climbing prevention spring is completely pushed down by the medal The partial front view which shows the principal part of the conventional coin dispensing device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Hopper 12 ... Disk 14 ... Base 16 ... Rail 18 ... Base main body 18A ... Base surface 18B ... Base back surface 20 ... Guide 22 ... Center guide 24 ... Discharge plate 26 ... Single guide 28 ... Main disk 30 ... Sub disk 32 ... Backflow Prevention spring 32A ... Medal holding portion 33 ... Riding prevention spring 33A ... Medal support portion 34 ... Fixing screw 36 ... Discharge port 38 ... First through hole 39 ... Second through hole

Claims (2)

A hopper on the base for storing medals, a disk rotatably supported on the base surface of the lower part of the hopper and having a plurality of medal catch holes in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis, and the disk In the coin dispensing device provided with an extrusion member provided on the back surface of the disk, the medal on the base surface captured in the medal capture hole by the rotation of
The next medal captured in the state of riding on the standby medal, which is disposed on the base surface behind the medal capture hole in the rotation direction from the rear end of the standby medal pushed out to the discharge port by the pushing member. And a climbing prevention means having a support portion that supports the rear end at a height that does not contact the base surface.
An coin throwing device, wherein an inclined surface having an obtuse angle with respect to the base surface is formed on the upstream side of the supporting portion in the medal traveling direction.   Further, the supporting portion can support the next medal captured in a state where it rides on a rigid body protruding from the base surface in the vicinity of the discharge port, at a height where the rear end does not contact the base surface, in the rotation direction. The coin dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the coin dispensing device is formed within a predetermined range.

Images