Coin sensor

Details Coin sensor Coin sensor

2001-08-30

2003-12-30

Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)

Check-actuated control mechanisms

Including means to test validity of check

By testing material composition

C194S317000, C194S302000, C336S225000, C073S163000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06668999

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to coin sensors for validating a coin in a coin accepting machine, such as a vending machine, and more particularly to a sensor for evaluating the diameter of the coin. For purposes of the following disclosures, the term “coin” is used generally to refer to monetary coins, tokens, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coin sensor and a decision circuit of a coin selector are detailed with reference to
FIGS. 18 and 19
. The sensor is formed within a body
50
and includes a coin acceptance slot
51
leading to a coin passage
52
. The coin passage
52
is comprised of peripheral guidewalls
53
,
54
and sideplates
55
,
56
. The sideplates
55
,
56
extend parallel to a diameter of the coin C, and the guidewalls
53
,
54
are located at opposed ends of the sideplates as shown in
FIG. 19
to form a rectangular profile. A line L illustrating the path of the coin C lies in the vertical direction.
The distance between the peripheral guidewalls and between the sideplates are selected to accommodate several different sizes of coins. Accordingly, the space between the peripheral guidewalls
53
,
54
is slightly larger than the largest diameter coin anticipated to be used in the sensor. Similarly, the space between the sideplates
55
,
56
is slightly larger than the thickness of the largest coin that is to be used.
A first coin sensor
57
is located on a horizontal line M that intersects the path line L in a perpendicular manner. The coin sensor
57
lies along the coin passage
52
adjacent the sideplate
55
. Sensor
57
comprises a wound coil
57
C about a cylindrical core
57
B. The core
57
B is preferably made of a ferromagnetic material, such as ferrite.
A sensor
60
is fixed opposite the sensor
57
on sideplate
56
. Sensor
60
comprises a wound coil
60
C about a cylindrical core
60
B. Another sensor
61
is mounted on the sideplate
55
adjacent the peripheral guidewall
54
. The center of sensor
61
is also located on line M. Sensor
61
comprises a wound coil
61
C about a cylindrical core
61
B. Sensor
62
is mounted opposite sensor
61
at sideplate
56
. Sensor
62
comprises a wound coil
62
C about a cylindrical core
62
B. The sensor pair
57
,
60
cooperate to form a coin left end sensor
63
used to determine the relative area of the left end of the portion of coin passing by sensor
63
. Similarly, the pair of sensors
61
,
62
, cooperate to form a coin right end sensor
64
and is used to determine the relative portion of the coin passing by the right end sensor
64
.
Sensors
65
,
66
lie along path line L and are offset from line M. Sensors
65
,
66
are similar in structure to sensor
61
in that each sensor
65
,
66
includes a coil
65
C,
66
C, respectively, wound about a cylindrical core
65
B,
66
B, respectively. The sensors
65
,
66
constitute a material sensor
67
and a thickness sensor
68
.
A coil
65
D is wound around the outside of coil
65
C. The coil
65
C is connected to the coil
66
C. Similarly, the coil
65
D is connected to the coil
66
D. The thickness sensor
68
comprises the coil
65
C wound about the core
65
B. The material sensor
67
comprises the coil
65
D and
66
D about the respective core
65
B and
66
B. A beginning end of coil
57
C is connected with the termination end of coil
61
C. The termination end of coil
57
C is connected with the termination end of coil
60
C. A starting end of coil
60
C is connected with a termination end of coil
62
C. A starting end of coil
62
C is connected to an oscillation circuit
70
, and a starting end of coil
61
C is connected to the oscillation circuit
70
.
The end of the coil
65
C of the thickness sensor
68
is connected to the oscillation circuit
71
. A starting end of the coil
65
C is connected to the termination end of the coil
66
C of the sensor
66
. A starting end of the coil
66
C is connected to the oscillation circuit
71
.
A starting end of the coil
65
D of the material sensor
67
is connected to the oscillation circuit
69
. A termination end of the coil
65
D is connected with the termination end of the coil
66
D of sensor
66
. A starting end of the coil
66
D is connected to the oscillation circuit
69
. The oscillation circuit
69
is connected with a detection circuit
72
. An oscillation circuit
70
is connected to a detection circuit
73
. The oscillation circuit
71
is connected with the detection circuit
74
.
The detection circuits
72
,
73
,
74
are respectively connected to a control circuit through AD connection circuits
76
,
75
,
77
. The control circuit comprises a microprocessor
78
. The unit also includes a reject board
80
which obliquely crosses the path line L of the coin passage
52
.
The coin C is deflected by the reject board
80
when the reject board
80
protrudes in the pathway defined by the coin passage
52
. A coin return (not shown) is found at the end of the rejection passage
81
.
The movement of the reject board
80
is controlled by a spring (not shown) generally, which biases the position of the reject board
80
into and out of the pathway of the coin passage
52
. The control is governed by a solenoid
82
excited by the signal of the microprocessor
78
, when the microprocessor determines that the coin is unacceptable. By the excitation of the solenoid
82
, the reject board
80
is withdrawn from the coin passage
52
when it is determined that the coin is acceptable. In this case, the coin falls past the reject board
80
into a coin collection unit (not shown).
The foregoing describes a coin sensor which may be used, for example, in a vending machine. A coin C dropped into the receiving slot of a vending machine reaches the coin passage
52
. As the coin falls vertically, the coin passes left end sensor
63
and right end sensor
64
to varying extents depending on the path of the coin, i.e., whether the coin falls down the center or toward one side. As the coin passes the sensors, a high frequency is applied from the oscillation circuit
70
to the coil
57
C and
60
C of the left end sensor
63
and the coil
61
C and
62
C of the right end sensor
64
. A resultant magnetic flux is generated at the cores
57
B,
60
B,
61
B and
62
B. The magnetic flux from each core extends into the coin passage
52
. Eddy currents are generated in the coin C when the coin (an electrical conductor) passes through these magnetic flux. As a result, the magnetic flux of the coils
57
C,
60
C,
61
C and
62
C are reduced.
The loss of flux due to the passing of the coin causes a change in the output of the oscillation circuit
70
. The flux loss is proportional to the relative area of the coin C adjacent the respective cores
57
B,
60
B, and
61
B,
62
B. The detection circuit
72
converts an output of the oscillation circuit into a voltage. The AD conversion circuit
75
output of the detection circuit
73
is converted into a digital value that is transmitted to microprocessor
78
.
Similarly, a magnetic flux arising in the coil
65
C at the core
65
B is affected by the thickness of the coin C. A magnetic flux arising from the coil
66
C at the core
66
B is affected by the thickness of the coin C. As a result, an output of oscillation circuit
71
changes. The digital circuit
74
converts an output of the oscillation circuit
71
into a voltage. The AD conversion circuit
77
output of the detection circuit
74
is converted into a digital value, and is transmitted to the microprocessor
78
.
A magnetic flux generated by the coil
65
D at core
65
B is affected by the material at the interior of the coin C. Similarly, a magnetic flux generated by the coil
66
D at the core
66
B is affected by the material at the interior of the coin C. As a result, the output of the oscillation circuit
69
varies. The detection circuit
72
converts an output of the oscillation circuit
69
into a voltage. The AD conversion circuit
76
output of the detection circuit
72
is converted into a digital value, and it

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Coin sensor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Coin sensor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Coin sensor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3106086