Coin handling – Deliverer – Delivery of a distinct number of plural coins from a single...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-16
2003-07-29
Matecki, Kathy (Department: 3654)
Coin handling
Deliverer
Delivery of a distinct number of plural coins from a single...
C194S334000, C221S267000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of coin dispensing apparatus where coins are dispensed from a storage container through a coin passageway with an exit aperture, and more particularly to a compact mounting assembly that can mount both a pivoting lever that extends within the coin exit aperture and a sensor unit which can be adjusted transverse to a longitudinal axis of the passageway to accommodate different size coins.
2. Background of the Invention
Various forms of devices utilize coin handling and pay-out apparatus, such as slot machines, gaming devices, and money change apparatus. Coins, medallions, or tokens are usually dispensed from a storage container by a selector mechanism through a coin passageway to a coin exit aperture. The coin passageway can be elevated relative to the storage container or coin hopper so that the coins are pushed up in a single edge-to-edge file or stack through the passageway. Various devices have been provided to provide security without jamming the dispensing of the coins from the exit aperture.
Referring to
FIG. 5
, a coin hopper or bowl
1
can store loose coins in bulk. A coin selector device, such as a rotating disk
2
, can selectively pick up coins from the coin hopper to direct them towards an escalator
10
. Individual coins can be stopped at a protrusion
2
a
which is located adjacent to the rotating disk at the entrance to the escalator
10
. The protrusion
2
a
can direct the coin to contact a return prevention roller
5
which governs the entrance outlet to the escalator
10
. The return prevention roller
5
is installed at the tip or edge of a rotating lever
7
that rotates about a fixed shaft
6
. While not illustrated in
FIG. 5
, a spring can provide a biasing force to rotate the lever
7
in a counter-clockwise direction. The escalator
10
extends upward from the outlet
4
. The escalator
10
can be formed from an elongated base member
11
, spacers
12
A and
12
B, and maintenance boards
13
A and
13
B. The dimensions of the spacers
12
A and
12
B are slightly thicker than the thickness of the coin to be guided along the escalator
10
. Additionally, the spacers
12
A and
12
B are spaced outwardly, from a longitudinal axis of the passageway, to be slightly larger than the diameter of the coin to form a coin passageway or guide for a series of stacked coins as they are progressively passed upward along the escalator
10
. The maintenance boards
13
A and
13
B can be held by appropriate fasteners, such as screws, to the sides of the base
11
with the spacers
12
A and
12
B installed on the base
11
. The resultant configuration provides a cross-sectional rectangular guide path for coins of a predetermined diameter and thickness.
Mounted adjacent the exit aperture of the coin passageway is a dispensing unit fixed to the maintenance boards
13
A and
13
B of a type of structure, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,258. An upper end portion of the guide passageway
15
, shown in
FIG. 7
, can have a curved surface
21
G formed in a guide piece
21
. A lower curved upper end portion
12
AU of a spacer
12
A can complete the formation of the exit aperture. Thus, the upper end division of the guide passageway
15
will curve in a leftward direction, as shown in FIG.
7
.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, a coin sensor
20
is provided with a pivoting lever
23
that rotates about a shaft
26
, while supporting a control roller
22
at its tip. The control roller
22
rotates about a shaft
24
at the end of the lever
23
. The shaft
26
can be mounted on a bracket
25
which, in turn, is fixed to the base
11
. The control roller
22
is located at the exit of the respective curved planes of the spacers
12
A and guide piece
21
. A sensor unit
27
can output a detection signal upon detection of an edge
23
B of the lever
23
when it is moved within a detection groove
27
A. The lever
23
can receive a biasing force by a spring
28
. The dispenser assembly
29
has a structure composed of the control roller
22
, the lever
23
, and the biasing spring
28
. A stopper
30
protruding from the bracket
25
can stop the rotation of the lever
23
.
As can be seen, the control roller
22
at the end of the lever
23
protrudes into the exit of the guide passageway
15
when a coin is not in contact with the control roller
22
. At this time, the detection edge
23
B of the lever
23
is displaced from the detection groove
27
A.
Referring to
FIGS. 5
,
6
, and
7
, the protrusion
2
A on the rotating disk
2
in the storage hopper will selectively push coins
3
towards the exit
4
. The return prevention roller
5
is pushed up to permit a coin
3
to pass into the coin passageway. As additional coins
3
are inserted into the passageway, the lowest coin of the coin passageway will push the upper coins upward in the guide passageway
15
. Eventually, the highest coin
3
U, shown in
FIG. 7
, will be ejected from the guide passageway
15
. As it is being ejected, it will contact the control roller
22
and force the lever
23
to rotate in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG.
7
.
The detection edge
23
B will be moved within the detection groove
27
A and thereby cause the sensor
27
to output a detection signal representative of the presence of a coin. The lever
23
is biased by spring force of the spring
28
in a counter-clockwise direction so that the control roller
23
will rotate across the periphery of the coin
3
U. Meanwhile, at the storage hopper, the return prevention roller
5
will stop the return of any coins in the guide passage
15
.
As can be appreciated, it is desirable for the coins to be loaded within the guide passageway
15
so that they are immediately available for discharge, but it is also important that the detection signal not be activated until the coin actually is in the process of being ejected. As can be appreciated, the positional relationship between the highest coin
3
U and the control roller
22
will depend on the path length from the return prevention roller
5
to the control roller
22
and the diameter of the coin
3
. If the diameter of the coins is relatively large, they could cause the control roller
22
to stop in a contact condition that will activate a sensor output. Thus, an adjustment to accommodate different size coins is necessary in such a coin dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,275 represent a proposed solution to this adjustment problem. The coin sensor
20
is mounted for longitudinal adjustment relative to the position of the escalator
10
. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the highest coin
3
U and the control roller
22
can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the guide passage
15
. The housing which surrounds the escalator must have sufficient vertical adjustment space to permit a height correction to provide this adjustment.
Other examples of the prior art structure can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,001 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,377.
The requirement of a compact configurations with adjustments to accommodate different size coins still remains an issue in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to ensure an accurate output from a sensor unit in detecting the condition of a coin discharge without changing the vertical length of the escalator or coin passageway.
To achieve this structure, the present invention provides a storage container for storing coins and an escalator or coin passageway extending along a longitudinal axis upward from the storage container to an exit aperture. A coin selector can be mounted within the storage container and send a coin into the coin passageway wherein a series of stacked coins can be advanced for discharge through the exit aperture. A dispenser unit can be located in the exit of the coin passageway and can include a lever pivotedly mounted for contacting the coin as it exits the exit aperture and a sensor unit for counting the coins. A mounting assembly can mount the lever and the sensor unit adjacent the exit apert
Abe Hiroshi
Inozuka Takashi
Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd.
Kim Sang
Matecki Kathy
LandOfFree
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