JPH0342521Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] (Industrial application field) This invention is a coin coin system that can be used in vending machines that sell goods by detecting coins inserted, and in devices that allow users to watch TV or video equipment for a fixed period of time. Regarding the mechanism.

(Prior art) A coin mechanism determines whether a coin inserted into a coin passage from a coin slot is appropriate or not, and if it is an appropriate coin (a specific coin), it is detected and stored in a coin storage box. do. Then, goods are provided or a timer is set according to a specific number of coins inserted. That is, the coin mechanism has two major functions: sorting coins and detecting appropriate coins. There is a device proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-686 as a device for sorting (not detecting) whether the inserted coin is correct or not. The coin sorting device described in this bulletin is located at the coin receiving position (normal position).
It is equipped with a carrier arm that can swing freely between the coin receiving position and the coin ejecting position (operating position), and when a specific coin is received at the coin receiving position, the coin is ejected toward the next process due to the weight of the coin. It's becoming like that. The coin released from the carrier arm is given a large velocity as it rolls on the runway, and its terminal velocity has a great influence on its "subsequent function". It is not clear what "subsequent function" means, but if it is used as a component of a part of the coin mechanism of the device, it is thought to refer to the coin detection operation. In other words, the device described in the publication is a component of the coin mechanism that performs the function of selecting whether or not a coin is appropriate, and a device for detecting inserted coins is provided separately. it is conceivable that. When the device is tilted by mischief, the carrier arm swings in a direction that allows illegal coins to be accepted, but the swing of the arm is prevented by the swing of the anti-tilt arm. It's summery.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The device described in the above-mentioned publication only sorts the inserted coins, and the coin detection operation is performed by a separate device. Therefore, if the above-mentioned sorting device is used as it is as one of the components of the coin mechanism, there is a problem that the structure of the device becomes bulky due to the combination with the detection device.

Therefore, if an attempt is made to perform coin sorting and coin detection using one member, the following problems occur, although the structure is simple. The other end of the carrier arm, with one end facing the coin passage, is made to correspond to a coin sensor, and when a proper coin is inserted, the mass of the coin causes the carrier arm to swing and activate the sensor. Activate. In this case, when the device (casing) in which the coin mechanism is incorporated is tilted, the carrier arm swings, causing a problem that the coin sensor is activated. In particular, in the case of small devices, such as coin mechanisms attached to the side of televisions or coin mechanisms built into television stands, there is a high risk that the device itself will be tilted or turned upside down, causing the coin sensor to malfunction. There is a problem of being exposed.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention aims to provide a small coin mechanism that does not malfunction even when the device is tilted, and has a coin receiving part that receives coins inserted from the coin slot into a coin holding part. The coin can be freely oscillated between the coin release position and the coin release position where the received coin is released toward the coin storage box, and when a specific coin is received, the coin is released from the coin receiving position in response to the mass of this coin. a carrier arm that is swung toward the coin release position; a coin sensor that is activated by the carrier arm when the carrier arm is swung to the coin release position; and an enclosure that houses the carrier arm and the coin sensor. The housing is substantially swingably supported by the housing, and when the housing is not tilted, it retreats from the rocking trajectory of the carrier arm, and when the housing is tilted, it swings by its own weight. and a blocking member that moves to advance a portion of the carrier arm onto the movement trajectory of the carrier arm to prevent the carrier arm from swinging to the coin discharging position.

(Operation) When the casing is maintained in a normal posture, the blocking member is retracted from the movement trajectory of the carrier arm. When a specific coin is inserted in this state, the carrier arm is swung by the coin and the coin sensor is activated. The swinging of the carrier arm is not only an operation for sorting coins, but also a detection operation for detecting coins.

When the housing is tilted, the blocking member advances onto the movement trajectory of the carrier arm and prevents the carrier arm from swinging and thereby prevents the arm from activating the coin sensor.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on the illustrated example.

First, in FIG. 14, the outline of the device incorporating the coin mechanism of the present invention will be explained.
indicates a television stand on which a television receiver 2 is placed. The TV stand 1 includes a mechanism 3 for selecting commercial TV and pay TV video signals sent from a central control device and switching channels for pay TV, and a mechanism 3 for switching this mechanism according to the type and number of coins inserted. It has a built-in coin mechanism 4 for operating it for a certain period of time. The illustrated example is a coin mechanism that can use 100 yen coins and 500 yen coins, and includes a main body 7 having respective coin slots 5 and 6, and a drawer that can be pulled out from the TV stand 1 at the lower part of the main body 7. It consists of coin storage boxes 8 that are freely provided.

Inside the main body of the coin mechanism 4, as shown in FIG. 8, there are a mechanism 9 for a hundred yen coin and a mechanism 1 for a five hundred yen coin.
0 is placed. Since both mechanisms have the same basic configuration except for the dimensions of some parts, the configuration will be explained below using the mechanism 9 for the 100 yen coin as a representative.

4, 7, 8, and 12, a coin slot 5 is formed in the front plate 11 of the casing of the TV stand 1, and a coin slot 5 is formed in the front upright part 12a of the machine frame 12. A charging member 14 fixed at 13 is projected. A window hole 12b through which coins pass is formed in the front upright portion 12a. A regulating plate 15 for regulating the insertion of coins having a diameter larger than the 100 yen coin C100 is fitted into the stepped portion 14a (see FIG. 11) at the rear of the slot member 14. A base cover 17 is orthogonally fixed to the front upright portion 12a by screws 16. A base plate 19 is fixed to the base cover 17 with fixing screws 18, 18. Thus, the base plate 19 is substantially integral with the housing.

The base plate 19 and base cover 17 are
On one side of the base plate 19, which constitutes a coin passage for guiding a specific coin inserted into the coin slot 5 to the coin storage box 8, there is an inner side edge 21a facing the coin slot 5; Continuing side edge 2
A step portion 21 having a diameter of 1b is formed. A step portion 22 having a slightly inclined guide side edge 22a is formed on the base plate 19 opposite to the side edge 21b. Further, a step portion 23 is formed along the front edge of the base plate 19. The recess 23a formed above the step 23 has an upper edge 2.
A guide member 24 having a guide member 4a positioned at approximately the same level as the lower edge of the coin slot 5 is removably attached by fitting pins 24b into positioning holes 23b formed in the recess. . As shown in FIG.
When the diameter of 0 is D, the inner side edge 2 is slightly larger (for example, 0.2 to 1 mm) by a distance D2.
It is located apart from 1a. The slit length D3 of the regulating plate 15 is set slightly larger than the diameter D (for example, 0.1 mm).

A pivot shaft 25 is provided on the other side of the base plate 19, and a carrier arm 26 is swingably supported on the pivot shaft. Base plate 19
An arcuate window hole 27 centered around the pivot 25 is formed in the. The upper edge 27a of the window hole 27 is located below the guide edge of the guide member 24, and the lower edge 27b is in contact with the left end of the step portion 22. window hole 27
As shown only in FIG. 7, the outer edge 27c of the base cover 17 is chamfered to prevent non-specific coins from falling (details will be described later). A window hole 28 of the same shape and size is formed in the base cover 17, which is superimposed and fixed to the base plate 19, at a position opposite to the window hole 27.

A coin holding portion 26a formed by bending at one end of the carrier arm 26 enters into the window holes 27 and 28. As shown in FIG. 9, the coin holding portion 26a is
A distance D from the inner side edge 21a that is smaller than a 100 yen coin and larger than the diameter of a 5 yen coin, which has the most approximate diameter.
They are spaced apart by 1. Although details will be described later, the coin holding portion 26a swings from a coin receiving position shown by a solid line in FIG. 12 to a coin discharging position shown by a chain line, and forms an arcuate portion of a coin path for a specific coin.

When the base plate 19 and the base cover 17 are superimposed, each step portion 21, 22, 23 is formed on the cover 17.
are joined, and the unjoined portion forms a coin passage O. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, the coin passage O includes an introduction passage Oa communicating with the coin slot 5;
A damping passage section consisting of a guide edge 24c and an inner side edge 21a for causing coins to fall in the vertical direction.
Ob, an arcuate biasing passage portion Oc consisting of an arcuate portion 21c at the connection portion between the inner side edge 21a and the side edge 21b and the coin holding portion 26a, and a coin ejected in a substantially horizontal direction toward the coin storage box 8; It consists of a guide passage section Od. Moreover, between the step part 22 and the same 23,
A discharge path Oe is formed for discharging coins having a smaller diameter than the specific coin. The base cover 17 forming the entrance portion of the introduction passage Oa is provided with a bent portion 17a that expands toward the coin slot 5.

In FIGS. 2 to 4 and 8, the carrier arm 26 is swingably supported by a pivot 25 at a boss portion 26b. A sensor actuating part 2 extending on the opposite side of the coin holding part 26a of the carrier arm 26
A weight 26d is fixed to 6c. Due to the weight of the weight 26d, the carrier arm 26 has a
A swinging behavior is provided in which the coin holding portion 26a is engaged with the upper edge 27a of the window hole 27. The mass of the weight 26d is such that the coin holding portion 26a placed at the coin receiving position is at the inner side edge 21a (see Fig. 12).
When a 100 yen coin is held, the mass of the coin allows the carrier arm 26 to swing to the coin ejecting position. As shown by the chain line in FIG. 2, a coin sensor 29 consisting of a light emitting element 29a and a light receiving element 29b is disposed at the end position of the swing of the sensor operating section 26c of the carrier arm 26 when it swings to the coin ejection position. has been done. When the sensor actuator 26c enters between the light emitting element 29a and the light receiving element 20b and interrupts the optical path, the coin sensor 29 issues a signal indicating that a specific coin has been inserted. The coin sensor 29 is fixed to the recess 19a of the base plate 19 by a screw 30.

A blocking member 32 is swingably supported on the base plate 19 by a support shaft 31 . A weight 32a is fixed to the blocking member 32, and the mass of the weight gives it the habit of swinging in the direction of gravity. Swinging of the blocking member 32 is regulated by a stopper 33. An engaging portion 32b bent toward the base plate is formed at the tip of the blocking member 32. As shown in FIG. 1, this engaging portion 32b extends to a position where it can engage with one end surface 29c of the coin sensor 29. When the TV stand 1 is placed in a normal position (not tilted), the blocking member 32 is attached to the support shaft 3 as shown in FIG.
However, when the TV stand 1 is tilted beyond the limit, the blocking member 32 swings around the weight 3 as shown in FIG.
2a, the engaging portion 32b engages with the coin sensor 29, and the sensor actuating portion 26c of the carrier arm connects the light emitting element 29a and the light receiving element 29b.
prevent it from entering between the

The carrier arm 26 and the blocking member 32 are prevented from coming off by retaining members 34 and 35 press-fitted into their respective shaft ends.

Another compressor 37 is mounted on the base plate 19 and supported by a bracket 36. This coin sensor 37 is arranged above the coin discharge port 38 (see FIG. 12) of the coin passage. The gap between the light emitting element 37a and the light receiving element 37b (see FIG. 8) is located on the coin path, so that the optical path between the two elements is blocked by a specific coin.

In Figures 6, 8 and 12, the machine frame 12
A window hole 12c is formed in the window hole 12c for sending coins discharged from the coin discharge port 38 into the coin storage box 8 disposed below the window hole 12c. This window hole 12c
is covered with a backflow prevention cover 39 having a lower opening and screwed to the machine frame. The backflow prevention cover 39 has a slit 39a facing the coin discharge port 38.
is formed. This cover 39 also has a slit 39b for a 500 yen coin. Immediately below the attenuation passage portion Ob of the coin passage, there is a non-specific coin discharge port 12d (12th
(see figure) is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the coin storage box 8 is attached to a storage section 41 made up of another machine frame 40 in a lower part of the machine frame 12 so as to be freely drawn out. The coin storage box 8 is a relatively shallow box with an upward opening, and a member 42 for locking the box is attached to its front plate 8a. The depth of the coin storage box 8, in this case, the bottom plate 8b
The height from the machine frame 12 to the machine frame 12 is set to be slightly less than twice the height of a 100 yen coin.

The above is an explanation of the mechanism 9 for 100 yen coins, but for the mechanism 10 for 500 yen coins (see FIG. 8), as shown in FIG.
1), the guide member 24A, and the carrier arm 26A are sized for a 500 yen coin, and the coin sensor 37 is moved upward by the length of the elongated hole 36a of the bracket 36 (see FIG. 4). The other configuration is the same as that for the 100 yen coin, except that it is shifted and fixed.

The operation of the embodiment configured as above will be explained.

In FIG. 12, when a 100 yen coin C100, which is a specific coin with a diameter D, is thrown into the coin slot 5, this coin rolls on the introduction part Oa, and then collides with the inner side edge 21a to lose its momentum. It is reduced and moves to the attenuation passage section Ob. The coin C100 falling vertically through the attenuation passage Ob is transferred to the coin holding section 26 of the carrier arm 26, which is waiting at the coin receiving position.
engage a. This attenuation passage portion Ob has a width slightly larger than the diameter D of the 100 yen coin (see Figure 9), so even if a coin is thrown into the introduction passage Oa with great force, its momentum will be dampened. Since the coin then falls vertically, it gently falls and enters between the inner side edge 21a and the coin holding portion 26a. Since the inner side edge 21a and the coin holder 26a have a gap of distance D1 (D>D1), the 100 yen coin C100 engages with the coin holder 26a and its weight causes the carrier arm to move. 26.

The 100 yen coin C100 is held by the coin holding portion 26a of the swinging carrier arm 26, the inner side edge 21a, the circular arc portion 21c, and the side edge 21b, and is pushed into the biasing passage portion.
Oc is moved vigorously in an arc and its direction of movement is changed. And carrier arm 26
However, the coin holding portion 26a is attached to the lower edge 2 of the window hole 27.
When it swings to the coin release position where it collides with 7b,
Due to the impact and inertia, the 100 yen coin C100 is ejected from the coin holding section 26a toward the guide passage section Od in a substantially horizontal direction. This coin has guide side edge 22
The coin rolls vigorously along the direction a, and is discharged into the coin storage box 8 through the coin discharge port 38, the slit 39a, and the window hole 12c. The 100 yen coin that has fallen onto the bottom plate 8b of the coin storage box 8 rolls on the bottom plate 8b in the direction of arrow a due to inertia at the time of release. Then, the 100 yen coin that collides with the rear side plate 8c falls over at that position.

Below, the 100 yen coins C100 that were inserted one after another are:
Coin storage box 8 via coin passage Oa, Ob, Oc, Od
released to. Rolling on the bottom plate 8b, the rear plate 8c
Alternatively, the coin collides with the coin C100 that is falling and falls. That is, the inserted coin is stored in the coin storage box 8.
They will begin to be stored from the back of the room. As the number of coins inserted increases, the falling position of the coins gradually moves to a lower position of the window hole 12c. Window hole 12c
When the coins pile up to a certain extent at the lower level of
As shown in FIG. 5, the ejected coins C100 roll on the stacked coins C100A and are spread. The coins stacked directly under the window hole 12c are
It spreads while collapsing toward the front side plate 8a.

In FIG. 2, when the carrier arm 26 placed at the coin receiving position shown by the solid line is swung by a 100 yen coin, which is a specific coin, and reaches the coin discharging position shown by the chain line, the sensor actuating part 26c 26cA
As shown, the optical path between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the coin sensor 29 is blocked. This operation of the coin sensor 29 is applied to a timer control section (not shown) as a coin detection signal indicating that a 100 yen coin has been inserted.
The coin released from the coin holder 26a blocks the optical path of the coin sensor 37 when rolling through the guide path Od (see FIG. 12). Below, 100 yen coin C10
Each time a 0 is inserted, the carrier arm 26 swings and the sensor actuator 26c actuates the coin sensor 29.

A regulation plate 15 restricts the insertion of coins with a diameter larger than a 100 yen coin into the coin input slot 5. In other words, coins (five yen coins, fifty yen coins) with a diameter smaller than diameter D can be inserted. Now, Figures 9 and 12
When you insert a 5 yen coin, this coin becomes
After rolling through the introduction passage Oa, it falls vertically through the damping passage Ob. At this time, even if the five yen coin is thrown in with force, the inner side edge 21a
After colliding with the side circle 21a and the gate end 24
It reciprocates as if it were vibrating between it and c, and after being weakened by its momentum, it begins to fall in the vertical direction. On the other hand, since the coin holding part 26a and the inner side edge 21a are separated by a distance D1 which is larger than the diameter of the five yen coin, the five yen coin falling through the attenuation passage part Ob is separated from the holding part 26a and the side edge 21a. 21a and fall into the coin storage box 8 from the discharge passage Oe. When a five yen coin falling through the damping passage section Ob engages with the coin holding section 26a, the carrier arm 2
6 tries to swing due to this, but since there is nothing to guide and support the 5 yen coin at the position where the inner side edge 21a is interrupted, this 5 yen coin C5 is unable to engage with the coin holding portion 25a. It is removed and falls from the discharge passageway Oe into the coin storage box 8. At this time, the swing angle of the carrier arm 26 is extremely small, and is far from being able to activate the coin sensor 29 with its sensor actuating portion 26c.

The carrier arm 26 is given a swinging habit by the mass of the weight 26d in the direction of positioning the coin holding portion 26a to the coin receiving position. This habit is such that the coin holding portion 26a is attached to the upper edge 27 of the window hole 27.
Although it is regulated by engaging with a, this rocking behavior is extremely weak. Therefore, in FIG. 2, when the base plate 19 is rotated counterclockwise, the carrier arm 26 will relatively swing clockwise. This means that when the TV stand 1 is tilted in a certain direction, the sensor actuating part 26c of the chloroform 26 is activated by the coin sensor 29.
means that it can be activated.

As shown in FIG.
When the base plate 19 is tilted, the carrier arm 26 swings relatively clockwise about the pivot 25. On the other hand, the blocking member 32 is swung around the support shaft 31 by the weight 32a, and the engaging portion 32bb thereof is engaged with one end surface 29c of the coin sensor 29. Therefore, even if the TV stand is intentionally tilted, the carrier arm 26 will not be able to detect the coin sensor 29.
The engaging portion 32b prevents the engaging portion 32b from swinging in the direction of activating.

Although the illustrated embodiment shows an example in which a 100 yen coin and a 500 yen coin can be used, a configuration may be adopted in which only one of them can be used. The difference in configuration in this case is that as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.
5 and 15A, the guide members 24 and 24A, and the carrier arms 26 and 26A.
If a coin sensor 37 (see FIG. 12) is attached, its position is changed depending on the diameter of the coin. The tenth configuration is for a 500 yen coin, in which the regulating plate 15A has a slit length D3 that regulates coins with a diameter larger than C500, and the guide member 24
The distance D2 between the guide edge of A and the inner side edge 21a is set to be 0.2 to 1 mm larger than the diameter D of the 500 yen coin. It goes without saying that the distance D1 between the coin holding portion 26a and the inner side edge 21a is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter D.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the blocking member 32 is provided to be swingable, but it may be provided in such a manner that it slides onto the swinging trajectory of the carrier arm 26 when the housing is intentionally tilted. good.

In FIG. 1, the carrier arm 26 is connected to the coin sensor 2.
This is an explanation of the case where the case is tilted in the direction in which 9 is activated. Now, the second case where the body is in a normal posture.
In the figure, when the casing is tilted counterclockwise, the carrier arm 26 swings counterclockwise due to the weight of the weight 26d. When the carrier arm 26 swings in this direction, the sensor actuating portion 26c is directed away from the coin sensor 29, so the sensor is not actuated. At this time, the blocking member 32 is prevented from swinging by the stopper 33.

Now, let's consider a case where the TV stand 1 (see Fig. 14), which is a box, is turned upside down. As described above, the orientation of the carrier arm 26 as to whether or not to activate the coin sensor 29 is determined depending on the direction in which the case is tilted. Therefore, when the case is tilted and the sensor actuating portion 26c of the carrier arm 26 is swung in a direction that activates the coin sensor 29 under the weight of the weight 26d, the weight 3
The blocking member 32 (the first
(see figure) restricts its swinging and prevents the coin sensor 29 from operating.

(Effects of the invention) As described above, according to the invention, the carrier arm, which has the function of sorting coins, also has a coin detection function, thereby reducing the bulk of the structure of the coin mechanism. Even if this is realized and the case is intentionally tilted, the blocking member restricts the swinging of the carrier arm, so the coin sensor will not issue a coin detection signal. In other words, a coin mechanism that does not malfunction even if the case is tilted can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an embodiment of the present invention, and is a right side view showing the effect of the blocking member preventing the carrier arm from swinging when the housing is tilted, and Fig. 2 is an embodiment of the present invention. An embodiment is shown, and FIG. 3 is a left side view showing the respective positions of the carrier arm and the blocking member when the case is not tilted, FIG. 4 is a front view of the same, and FIG. 4 shows the carrier arm, blocking member, and coin sensor. FIG. 5 is a schematic side view for explaining the action when coins ejected from the coin passage are stored in the coin storage box, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the coin passage between the coin storage box and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the base plate showing the coin passage, FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of one embodiment of the coin mechanism of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the provided coin guide and outflow prevention member. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a coin passageway equipped with a carrier arm for 100 yen coins and a guide member; FIG. 11 is a side view showing a coin passageway equipped with a carrier arm and guide member for 500 yen coins; 12 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the structure of the coin slot, FIG. 12 is a right side view showing an embodiment of the coin mechanism of the present invention with the case not tilted, and FIG. A- in Figure 8
The A-line sectional view and FIG. 14 are perspective views showing one mode of use of the coin mechanism of the present invention. 5... Coin slot, 8... Coin storage box, 26...
...Carrier arm, 26a...Coin holding part, 29
...Coin sensor, 32...Blocking member, C100...
...100 yen coin, 40...machine frame.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Utility Model Registration Claim] The coin receiving part can freely swing between the coin receiving position where the coin inserted from the coin slot is received by the coin holder and the coin ejecting position where the received coin is released towards the coin storage box. When a specific coin is received, a carrier arm is swung from a coin receiving position to a coin ejecting position by receiving the mass of the coin; and when this carrier arm is swung to the coin ejecting position. , a coin sensor actuated by a portion of the carrier arm; a casing housing the carrier arm and the coin sensor; and a casing substantially swingably supported by the casing; When the casing is not tilted, it retreats from the swinging trajectory of the carrier arm, and when the casing is tilted, it swings by its own weight and advances a part of it onto the movement trajectory of the carrier arm, so that the carrier arm A coin mechanism characterized by comprising a blocking member that prevents the coin from swinging to the coin ejection position.