JPH0812708B2 - Coin sorter - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin sorting device used for a vending machine, a money changing machine, a service device, etc., and particularly an electronic coin for electronically discriminating a type of coin. The present invention relates to improvement of a sorting device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a coin sorting device mechanically sorts coins by mechanically checking the properties of the coins, and a coin sorting device that electronically detects the properties of the coins and detects the coins based on the detected output. An electronic coin sorting device for sorting is known.

Here, the use range of the electronic type coin sorting device is expanded because of its good sorting accuracy and its miniaturization.

The general structure of an electronic coin sorting device is that an oscillating coil excited by a signal of a predetermined frequency is arranged on one side of a coin passage and a receiving coil electromagnetically coupled to the oscillating coil on the other side. A coil is provided, and the authenticity of the coin and the type are determined based on the output of the receiving coil generated when the coin passes.
The coins are distributed based on this determination result.

That is, note that the peak value of the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil when a coin passes is different for each coin A, B, C, D as shown in FIG. The range (window) is determined in advance for each sorted coin (see FIG. 11), and whether the coin is authentic or false and the type is determined by whether the peak value of the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil falls within the allowable range. It is configured to make a determination.

However, according to the above configuration, in the case of a coin having a large peak value of the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil, since the envelope waveform crosses the allowable range (window) of other coins, the true coin determination signal is generated for each coin. Will occur.

That is, in the case of a coin having a large peak value of the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil, a plurality of true coin determination signals are generated for one coin insertion.

Therefore, conventionally, a peak value detection circuit that detects when the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the reception coil has reached the peak value is provided, and the reception coil is synchronized with the peak signal from this peak value detection circuit (see Fig. 12). The envelope waveform of the signal generated at is determined.

(Problems of the prior art) However, here, the peak value detection circuit is a circuit that sequentially stores the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil, a circuit that detects that the envelope waveform is inverted from attenuation and starts rising. Is fairly complex,
This peak value detection circuit has a problem that the entire circuit configuration becomes very complicated.

In addition, since the peak signal output from the peak value detection circuit is a discontinuous signal that occurs only at the peak of the envelope waveform of the signal generated in the receiving coil, noise equivalent to this peak signal is generated at times other than this peak of the envelope waveform. If it occurs, there is a problem that it malfunctions due to this noise.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coin sorter having a simple structure with few malfunctions.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the coin sorting device of the present invention is arranged in a coin passage, and sandwiches the coin passage with an oscillation coil excited by a signal of a predetermined frequency. Corresponding to the type of coin, and a receiving coil arranged to face the oscillating coil, a detecting and amplifying circuit that outputs an envelope signal of the output signal by detecting and amplifying the output signal of the receiving coil. Different windows are set, and a plurality of window circuits that respectively generate pulse signals that rise when the envelope signal enters the window and fall when the envelope signal exits the window, and are output from the plurality of window circuits. A counter circuit for counting pulse signals is provided, and the authenticity and type of coins are determined based on the count value of the counter circuit.

(Operation) According to the present invention, the authenticity and the type of the coin are determined based on the count value of the counter circuit. For example, when the detected coin is a true coin, the output of the detection amplification circuit gradually decreases as the coin passes, and the peak value corresponding to the detected coin,
That is, after reaching a preset allowable range (window) and then rising again, the level returns to the original level.

Here, assuming that the output of the detection amplification circuit crosses n windows before reaching the peak value, n pulses are generated from the window circuit before reaching the peak value, and the window corresponding to this peak value is generated. One pulse is generated, n pulses are generated before the peak value returns to the original level, and the count value of the counter circuit becomes an odd number (2n + 1). Here, the value (2n + 1) differs depending on the type of detected coin.

On the other hand, when the detected coin is a false coin, the output of the detection amplification circuit does not reach any window or only crosses the window as the coin passes, so the count value of the counter circuit in this case is It is an even number of 2m (m is 0 or an integer).

Therefore, in the present invention, the authenticity of the detected coin and the type of the detected coin are determined based on the count value of the counter circuit.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the coin sorting device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an oscillation coil excited by the output of the oscillator 3 is arranged on one side of the coin passage 1. Here, the oscillation frequency of the oscillator 3 varies depending on the property of interest (material, shape, etc.) with respect to the coin 2 to be detected.

A receiving coil 5 is arranged on the other side of the coin passage 1 so as to face the oscillation coil 4. In this embodiment, the coin 2 is output based on the envelope signal of the output signal of the receiving coil 5, that is, the output signal of the receiving coil 5, which is generated when the coin 2 passes through the arrangement portion of the oscillation passage 4 and the receiving coil 5 of the coin passage 1. The authenticity and the type are discriminated.

The output signal of the reception coil 5 is detected and amplified by the detection amplification circuit 6, and the envelope signal of the output signal of the reception coil 5 is extracted. This envelope signal has window circuits 7, 8,
Added to 9, 10. The window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10 are set with an allowable range of peak values of envelope signals corresponding to A coins, B coins, C coins and D coins, that is, windows, respectively. , 10 generate pulse signals that rise when the envelope signal output from the detection amplifier circuit 6 enters the window and fall when the envelope signal exits the window.
The window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10 can be configured by known window comparators.

The outputs of the window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10 are added to the counter 11. The counter 11 is designed so that the count value of the coin 1 is reset by an appropriate means before the coin enters the arrangement portion of the oscillation coil 4 and the receiving coil 5, and the coin 1 is arranged between the oscillation coil 4 and the receiving coil 5. The number of pulses generated from the window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10 is counted as they pass through the installation.

2 to 5 are true coin A, coin B and coin C, respectively.
3 shows envelope signals output from the detection amplification circuit 6 and output pulses of the window circuits 7, 8, 9, and 10 as coins and D coins pass through the arrangement portions of the oscillation coil 4 and the reception coil 5. . In FIGS. 2 to 5, windows A, B, C and D respectively show allowable ranges of peak values of envelope signals corresponding to A coins, B coins, C coins and D coins. 2 (b) (c) (d) (e),
3 (b) (c) (d) (e), FIG. 4 (b) (c)
(D) (e) and FIGS. 5 (b) (c) (d) (e) show the output pulses of the window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10, respectively.

First, in the case of A coin, as shown in FIG. 2, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 is attenuated to the window A and then returns to the original level even if it rises. That is, in this case, the detection amplification circuit 6
The envelope signal output from the window circuit 7 does not cross windows B, C, and D corresponding to other coins at all, so the window circuit 7 outputs 1
Only one pulse is emitted.

Therefore, the count value of the counter 11 in this case is "1".

In the case of a B coin, as shown in FIG. 3, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 is attenuated to the window B, and then returns to the original level even if it rises. Here, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 crosses the window A once when it attenuates and when it rises.

Therefore, in this case, the window circuit 7 outputs two pulses and the window circuit 8 outputs one pulse, and the count value of the counter 11 becomes "3".

In the case of a C coin, as shown in FIG. 4, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 is attenuated to the window C, and then returns to the original level even if it rises. Here, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 crosses the windows A and B when it attenuates, and crosses the windows A and B again when it rises.

Therefore, in this case, two pulses are output from each of the window circuits 7 and 8 and one pulse is output from the window circuit 9, and the counter 11
The count value of is "5".

Further, in the case of a D coin, as shown in FIG. 5, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 is attenuated to the window D and then returns to the original level. Here, the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 crosses the windows A, B and C when it attenuates, and again crosses A, B and C when it rises.

Therefore, in this case, two pulses are output from each of the window circuits 7, 8 and 9 and one pulse is output from the window circuit 10, and the count value of the counter 11 becomes "7".

As described above, when the coin passing through the coin passage 1 is the A coin, the count value of the counter 11 is "1", the count value of the counter 11 is "3" when the coin is B coin, and the count value of the counter coin is 3 when the coin is C coin. The count value of the counter 11 is "5", and the count value of the counter 11 is "7" for the D coin. Then, the count values are all odd numbers.

FIG. 6 shows a case where the coin passing through the coin passage 1 is a false coin. When the coin passing through the coin passage 1 is a false coin, the peak value of the output of the detection amplification circuit 6 is the windows A, B,
Neither in C nor D. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the output of the detection amplification circuit 6 returns to the original level when it crosses the windows A and B.

In this case, two pulses are output from each of the window circuits 7 and 8 and the count value of the counter 11 becomes "4".

In this way, when the coin passing through the coin passage 1 is a false coin, the count value of the counter 11 becomes an even number.

The output of the counter 11 is added to the decoder 12. The decoder 12 outputs the A coin detection signal when the count value of the counter 11 is “1”, outputs the B coin detection signal when the count value is “3”, and outputs the C coin detection signal when the count value is “5”. , "7", the D coin detection signal is output. Also, the decoder 12 outputs a false coin signal when the count value of the counter 11 is an even number.

The A coin detection signal, the B coin detection signal, the C coin detection signal, the D coin detection signal, and the counterfeit coin signal output from the decoder 12 in this way are added to a coin selector (not shown) to sort out true coins and counterfeit coins. The denomination is selected.

Incidentally, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the window circuits 7, 8,
The parts of 9, 10, the counter 11 and the decoder 12 are configured by using discrete parts respectively, but some or all of these parts are replaced with a central processing unit (CPU), and the same function as the above parts is realized by the CPU. You may have it.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment constructed in this way. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the counter 11 and the decoder 12 shown in FIG. 1 are replaced by the CPU 13. Then, this CPU 13 causes the counter 11 and the decoder 1
It is configured to perform the same function as 2.

Further, the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 has a configuration in which the output of the detection / amplification circuit 6 shown in FIG. 1 is converted into a digital signal by the analog-digital converter 14 and added to the CPU 15. In this embodiment, The CPU 15 is configured to perform not only the functions of the counter 11 and the decoder 12 shown in FIG. 1, but also the functions of the window circuits 7, 8, 9 and 10.

In the above embodiment, the coins to be sorted are four coins of A coin, B coin, C coin, and D coin, but the number of coins is arbitrary.

Also, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the outputs of the window circuits 7, 8, 9, 10 are separately input to the CPU 13, which corresponds to two coins as shown in FIG. Window (9th)
This is because the pulses from the window circuits can be accurately counted even when the windows A and B) overlap, and if the windows of the coins do not overlap as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1, the outputs of the window circuits may be commonly connected.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a coin sorting device with few malfunctions, and it is possible to greatly simplify the configuration by eliminating the need for a peak value detection circuit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 6 are waveform diagrams for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing another embodiment, FIG. 9 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, and FIGS. 10 to 12 are waveform diagrams for explaining the operation of the conventional device. Is. 1 ... coin passage, 2 ... coins, 3 ... oscillator, 4 ... oscillation coil, 5 ... reception coil, 6 ... detection amplification circuit, 7,
8,9,10 …… Window circuit, 11 …… Counter, 12 …… Decoder,
13,15 …… CPU, 14 …… A / D converter.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Osamu Kobayashi 25-22-22 Gomigaya, Tsurugashima-cho, Iruma-gun, Saitama Prefecture (56) References JP-A-58-20281 (JP, A) JP-A-51-2498 (JP) , A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An oscillating coil disposed in a coin passage and excited by a signal of a predetermined frequency; a receiving coil disposed across the coin passage and facing the oscillating coil; By detecting and amplifying the output signal of
A detection / amplification circuit that outputs an envelope signal of the output signal and a different window corresponding to the type of coin are set, and the pulse rises when the envelope signal enters the window and falls when the envelope signal exits the window. A plurality of window circuits that respectively generate signals, and a counter circuit that counts pulse signals output from the plurality of window circuits are provided, and the authenticity and type of coins can be determined based on the count value of the counter circuit. A coin sorting device.