Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including means to test validity of check – By testing material composition
Patent
1987-08-17
1989-10-24
Bartuska, F. J.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including means to test validity of check
By testing material composition
324234, G07D 508
Patent
active
048755672
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates toa coin validation device.
Various coin validation devices are known which are used for example in a vending machine to identify a coin deposited by a user and enable operation of the vending machine in accordance with the identity of the coin. Earlier forms of validation device were mechanical but more recent designs have relied upon magnetic sensors to detect and identify deposited coins.
In one known arrangement as described in British Patent No. 1 265 361 deposited coins are caused to move along a channel through a gap in a magnetic circuit which is a component part of a magnetic bridge. Genuine coins were previously positioned in the same limb of the bridge and the magnetic response was recorded. The magnetic effect of a deposited coin and of a geniune coin can then be compared.
Thus, it is well known that the use of a magnetic sensor enables an output signal to be generated as the result of the deposite of a coin which output signal is characteristic of the size and metalcontent of the coin. The differences between output signals resulting from similar coins such as the British ten pence and British fifty pence pieces is however relatively small with the known devices and it is therefore necessary to provide either relatively complex analytical circuity to distinguish between the different outputs or to have an auxiliary size monitoring device so that effectively the magnetic circuit monitors the metallic content of a deposited coin whereas its size is monitored by a separate sensor mechanism.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coin validation device comprising a magnetic circuit which produces output signals when different coins are passed through it that are sufficiently distinct to enable ready identification of the various coins.
According to the present invention there is provided a coin validation device comprising a channel along which a coin to be validated is caused to apss, and a pair of magnetic cores located on opposite sides of the channel so that a coin to be validated will pass therebetween, wherein each core is E-shaped in a sectiontaken perpendicular to the direction in which a coin to be validated passes along the channel so as to define a central leg extending towards the other core, one central leg supporting an exciting coil and the other central leg supporting a detector coil.
In use an AC current is driven through the exciting coil and a voltage amplitude monitoring circuit is connected to the detector coil. for a constant AC supply the amplitude of the voltage provided by the detector coil varies significantly in response to relatively minor variations in the size, thickness and methal content of coins passed between the cores.
Preferably the detector coil output is converted to a DC voltage and a series of voltage comparators are arranged to detect the maximum change in the DC voltage as a coin passes between the cores. This maximum change is a measure of the characteristics of the coin.
The E-shaped cores can be of substantially the same shape and dimensions. The two cores may b e offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which a coin passes between the cores, adjustment of the offset adjusting the sensitivity of the device to particular coins. Where two coins have similar characteristics the offset can be selected to maximise the ability of the device to distinguish those coins.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a coin validation mechanism comprises a channel along which a coin to be validated is caused to pass, the channel extending directly between a coin deposit slot and a reject coin return position, and means for diverting a deposited coin from the channel if and only if the coin is validated.
Thus, the mechanism defaults to reject and it is very difficult to jam the mechanism.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a part sectional illustration of an embodiment of th
REFERENCES:
patent: 3952851 (1976-04-01), Fougere et al.
patent: 4105105 (1978-08-01), Braum
patent: 4353452 (1982-10-01), Shah et al.
patent: 4371073 (1983-02-01), Dubey
Bartuska F. J.
Neo Electronics Limited
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