Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including value accumulator for plural checks – Having solid state circuitry
Patent
1995-03-03
1996-10-22
Bartuska, F. J.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including value accumulator for plural checks
Having solid state circuitry
453 17, G07D 102
Patent
active
055668070
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for accepting coins of denominations that have and do not have coin tubes for making change in a coin mechanism is described. One aspect of the invention concerns a method for calculating an overpay amount. The overpay amount is set to equal the value of the lowest value coin with a tube minus the value of the lowest value non-tubed coin. Thus, when the lowest value coin tube is empty a vending machine customer will be permitted to insert low value, non-tubed coins up to the overpay value to increase the likelihood of enabling a vend of an item to take place. Another aspect of the invention relates to the acceptance of high-valued, non-tubed coins. The high-value non-tubed coins are acceptable if adequate change exists in the coin tubes to payback their value plus the value of any existing credit, if their value plus any credit value is greater than the maximum vend price, and if each of the vend prices in the vending machine permit adequate change to be returned to the customer.
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Bartuska F. J.
Mars Incorporated
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