Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including means to test validity of check – By testing material composition
Patent
1998-04-06
2000-04-25
Bucci, David A.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including means to test validity of check
By testing material composition
194335, 194338, 194344, G07D 508, G07D 502, G07F 104
Patent
active
060533005
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coin validator.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,281 discloses a coin validation apparatus wherein a pair of optical beams are directed across the coin path of a validator, substantially in the plane of a coin under test. The optical beams are spaced along the direction of travel of a coin in the coin path. The diameter of a coin is determined by timing the periods during which each of the optical beams is interrupted by passing coin, determining a value for the speed of the coin as it crosses the beams, deriving two diameter values from the timed periods and the speed values, and averaging the resultant values. The average produced is proportional to the diameter of the coin interrupting the beams.
If the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,281 is to function correctly, a coin to be tested must be in free fall before it encounters the first optical beam. A problem arises from this in that it is difficult to produce a compact validator with a sufficient run-in for a coin to be in free fall, before it interrupts the first optical beam. The problem is particularly acute in the case of validators for the large tokens used in some casinos.
DE-A-2 724 868 discloses an apparatus in which the diameter of a coin is checked on the basis of the time between the leading edge of the coin reaching a lower reference and the trailing edge of the coin leaving an upper reference position. However, this apparatus suffers from two disadvantages. Firstly, a counter is started when the coin reaches the upper reference position. Consequently, the upper reference position must be located at the diameter of the largest acceptable coin from the coin insertion slot. Secondly, the example, in which the diameter of a coin is checked on the basis of the time between the leading edge of the coin reaching a lower reference and the trailing edge of the coin leaving an upper reference position, cannot be used with coins whose diameters are not greater than the separation of the reference positions.
GB-A-1 405 936 discloses a coin validation apparatus comprising means defining first and second reference positions spaced along a coin path, sensor means for detecting a trading point on a coin passing the first reference position and a leading point on the coin reaching the second reference, and processing means for determining the velocity of a coin under test on the basis of the output of the sensor means. However, the diameter of the coin is checked using additional sensors.
In the following the term "coin" means coin, token and any similar objects representing value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the afore-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coin validation apparatus comprising means defining first and second reference positions spaced along a coin path, sensor means for detecting a trailing point on a coin passing the first reference position and a leading point on the coin reaching the second reference position, and processing means for checking the diameter of a coin under test on the basis of said trailing point passing the first reference position and said leading point reaching the second reference position, characterized in that the processing means checks the diameter of the coin under test without reference to said leading point reaching the first reference position. Preferably, the processing means checks the diameter of the coin under test on the basis of the time difference between said trailing point passing the first reference position and said leading point reaching the second reference position.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the diameter checked is the physical diameter of a coin under test. However, in other embodiments the diameter is checked on the basis of characterising signal representative of a property related to diameter but dependent also on additional factors such a the material from which a coin u
REFERENCES:
patent: 3559790 (1971-02-01), Whitestone
patent: 3738469 (1973-06-01), Prumm
patent: 4371073 (1983-02-01), Dubey
patent: 4474281 (1984-10-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4538719 (1985-09-01), Gray et al.
patent: 4542817 (1985-09-01), Paulson
patent: 4601380 (1986-07-01), Dean et al.
patent: 4646904 (1987-03-01), Hoormann
patent: 4686365 (1987-08-01), Meek et al.
patent: 4749074 (1988-06-01), Ueui et al.
patent: 4754862 (1988-07-01), Rawicz-Szczerbo et al.
patent: 4845994 (1989-07-01), Quinlan, Jr.
patent: 4951800 (1990-08-01), Yoshihara et al.
patent: 4995497 (1991-02-01), Kai et al.
patent: 5007520 (1991-04-01), Harris et al.
patent: 5033603 (1991-07-01), Kai et al.
patent: 5062518 (1991-11-01), Chitty et al.
patent: 5085309 (1992-02-01), Adamson et al.
patent: 5155960 (1992-10-01), Shaanan
patent: 5158166 (1992-10-01), Barson
patent: 5180046 (1993-01-01), Hutton et al.
patent: 5226520 (1993-07-01), Parker
patent: 5379876 (1995-01-01), Hutton
patent: 5407049 (1995-04-01), Jacobs
patent: 5460256 (1995-10-01), Levasseur
patent: 5469952 (1995-11-01), Kershaw et al.
patent: 5489015 (1996-02-01), Wood
patent: 5515960 (1996-05-01), Wood
patent: 5577591 (1996-11-01), Abe
patent: 5657847 (1997-08-01), Tod et al.
Bell Malcolm Reginald Hallas
Wood Dennis
Bucci David A.
Coins Controls Ltd.
Jaketic Bryan
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for determining the validity of a coin does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for determining the validity of a coin, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for determining the validity of a coin will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-986362