Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including means to test validity of check – By testing material composition
Patent
1993-05-25
1995-10-17
Terrell, William E.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including means to test validity of check
By testing material composition
G07D 508
Patent
active
054582253
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coin discriminating apparatus, used in a pay phone, a vending machine, and the like, for determining the shape or material of a coin by transmission and reception coils arranged on a coin track, thereby discriminating the authenticity, the denomination, and the like of the coin.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Conventionally, coin discriminating apparatuses of the field described above that utilize various techniques have been developed.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,360, a conventional coin discriminating apparatus in a pay phone, a vending machine, or the like that utilizes a magnetic field employs a technique of discriminating the thickness or material of the coin by comparison of a signal from a coin detector and a signal from a standard detector.
More specifically, according to this prior art technique, a test coin C1 and a standard sample coin C2 are disposed in two alternating magnetic fields generated by transmission coils 1 and 2 driven by the same drive unit, as in the basic arrangement as shown in FIG. 56. Detectors 3 and 4 detect magnetic fields near the coins C1 and C2. An output signal from the detector 3 concerning the test coin Cl is compared with an output signal from the detector 4 concerning the standard sample coin C2 by a comparator (not shown), thereby discriminating the thickness or material of the test coin C1.
However, in the conventional coin discriminating apparatus having this arrangement, in addition to the transmission coil 1 and the detector 3 for the test coin C1, the transmission coil 2 and the detector 4 for the standard sample coin C2 are required; that complicates the apparatus. Especially, when a plurality of denominations of coins should be discriminated, test coins, transmission coils, and detectors corresponding in number to the denominations of coins are required, and the apparatus becomes very complicated. In addition, since the determination is performed by simple, comparison of the output signals from the two detectors 3 and 4, it is not possible to distinguish two similar outputs of a coin with a large thickness and another coin with a large conductivity, thus causing incorrect discrimination. Sometimes the standard coin with certain thickness and material and a coin with different thickness and material generate the identical outputs. That is, the thickness and the material cannot be separately detected, causing erroneous discrimination.
Other techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,918,564 and 3,918,565 are also known.
According to this technique, in a pay phone or a vending machine, in order to discriminate the authenticity, the denomination, and the like of a coin (to be referred to as a coin hereinafter including a counterfeit coin), as shown in FIG. 57, a coin C inserted through a coin slot is caused to fall in rolling contact with a coin track 2. As shown in FIG. 58, the coin track 2 is constituted by a base plate 3 inclined with respect to the vertical plane, a cover plate 4 parallel to the base plate 3, and a rail 5 mounted on the cover plate 4 to be inclined with respect to the horizontal line. The coin C dropping onto the coin track 2 from a coin slot 1 falls in rolling along the inclined rail 5 while its circumferential surface C' contacts the rail 5 and its face C" contacts the base plate 3.
Transmission and reception coils 6 and 7 are inserted in round holes 3a and 4a of the base and cover plates 3 and 4, respectively, to oppose the coin track 2 and in the vicinity of the rail 5, such that they are entirely covered with the passing coin C.
The transmission coil 6 generates an alternating magnetic field. When the coin C is in rolling contact with the rail 5 and passes between the coils 6 and 7, a change in magnetic field is caused and it changes the output voltage of the reception coil 7. The change amount in output voltage output from the reception coil 7 depends on both the material (conductivity) and thickness of the coin.
Accordingly, conventionally, the peak value of th
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Honma Masaru
Inagaki Shintaro
Iwamoto Takahasi
Kodama Noriyuki
Shioiri Ken
Anritsu Corporation
Lowe Scott L.
Terrell William E.
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