Coin handling – Assorter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2001-01-30
Kramer, Dean J. (Department: 3652)
Coin handling
Assorter
C221S203000, C222S042000, C209S286000, C209S296000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179703
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device and a method of separating foreign objects from a mass of coins between a coin intake and a coin lifting device in a coin sorting and/or counting machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Today, a plurality of devices are known for coin sorting and/or counting. Such devices or machines are usually provided with a coin intake and a coin lifting device (such as a hopper), wherein the coin intake is arranged to receive an incoming mass of coins and to supply this mass of coins to the coin lifting device, which establishes some sort of order among the coins in the mass, such as a sequential order, so that the coins one after another may be supplied at a proper speed to a subsequent sorting and/or counting process.
Recently, such coin sorting machines and coin counting machines, which are intended to be used directly by the customers in accordance with a self-service approach, have been increasingly common. Such self-service coin handling machines may be located in for instance bank offices to be used by any customer who wants to cash or deposit an unsorted mass of coins. For instance, a businessman may want to deposit his daily earnings, or a private person may bring his savings. The customer in question will deposit the mass of coins in a coin intake, and then the coin handling machine will sort and count the coins received and acknowledge the amount received by means of for instance a written verification, on which the counted amount is specified.
A problem with self-service coin handling machines of the type described above, which has been observed by the inventors of the present invention, is the damage or reduced performance that foreign objects in a mass of coins may cause. Previously known coin handling machines are usually provided with a separating function, wherein any coin not accepted due to e.g. an incorrect currency, deformation of the coin or the like, is separated from the rest of the coins and is returned to the customer, or is confiscated by the machine as an alternative. The problem gets worse if the coin mass contains such foreign objects, which as to their shape, size or the like are considerably different from coins acceptable to the machine. Examples of such foreign objects are paper clips, safety-pins, screws, nuts, hair pins, pocket fluff, etc. If such foreign objects are deposited in a coin handling machine, the risk of damage to mechanical or electrical components in the machine is not negligible.
Furthermore, if the mass of coins is deposited by the customer into the coin intake in such volumes or at such a speed that the coin handling machine will not be capable of processing the coin mass but will rather be over-filled, additional problems will arise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention a device and a method have been developed to eliminate or reduce the above-mentioned problems, when a mass of coins with inappropriate contents or of an inappropriate volume is supplied by a customer to a coin handling machine.
The object of invention is achieved by a device and a method for separating foreign objects from a mass of coins between a coin intake and a coin lifting device in a coin sorting and/or counting machine with the features of the characterising part of the appended independent patent claims.
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Knutsson Jorgen
Lundgren Staffan
Jaketic Bryan
Kramer Dean J.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Scan Coin Industries AB
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