A dual-passage auto-search bill acceptor includes an acceptor housing including a lower bill-inlet passage, an upper bill-outlet passage, a bill-presser and a bill-transfer mechanism mounted for transferring a bill through the bill-inlet passage to the bill-presser, a cash box mounted in a rear bottom side of the acceptor housing, and a bill dispenser mounted at a top side of the acceptor housing and including a bill-return passage in communication with the bill-inlet passage and the bill-outlet passage, a storage module with a first bill-receiving wheel, a register module with a second bill-receiving wheel and a control gate biasable to open and close a bill passage between the storage module and the register module for enabling the first bill-receiving wheel to take up bills for storage or the second bill-receiving wheel to take up bills for giving change.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 105134085, filed on Oct. 21, 2016.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bill acceptor technology and more particularly, to a dual-passage auto-search bill acceptor, which comprises an acceptor housing, a cash box mounted at the back side of the acceptor housing, and a bill dispenser mounted at the top side of the acceptor housing and adapted for controlling a control gate to switch the bill-transfer passage between a storage module and a register module, achieving the function of picking up a specific bill from mixed bills.

2. Description of the Related Art

Fast development of modern technology accelerates the pace of people's lives and brings convenience and rapidness to people. Nowadays, various automated trading machines, such as automatic vending machines, card dispensers, automated teller machines, ticket machines, game machines, bill exchange machines, etc. are used everywhere to receive and recycle bills, securities, coupons or other valuable documents and to sell different products and/or to provide different services without serviceman. These machines are highly appreciated for the advantage of saving much labor and bringing convenience to people. Further, these machines are commonly equipped with a bill acceptor for receiving bills, and a bill recognition device for identifying the authenticity and value of inserted bills before receiving them. Thus, these machines can achieve unmanned operation and self-service purposes, saving the operation cost. Nowadays, advanced vending machines have been continuously created for selling a variety of products and providing versatile services.

Further, in order to sell more items and more expensive products or to accept higher denomination of bills, automatic vending machines or automated teller machines must be equipped with a bill dispenser for dispensing bills after recognized by a bill recognition device so that received bills of maximum denomination can be transferred to a cash box for storage, and received bills under a predetermined face value can be temporarily stored in a storage device for giving change or for exchange, reducing the frequency and cost of manual replenishment of bills increasing the service time.

Two methods are commonly used in commercial automatic vending machines, automated teller machines and other automated trading machines for dispensing assorted bills and giving change. The first method is the use of one single bill dispenser. In this case, when picking up specific bills from mixed bills, the bill dispenser needs to deliver nonspecific bills to the cash box for storage so that specific bills can be picked up and delivered to the bill-outlet slot for giving change or making an exchange. However, the bills that have been transferred to the cash box can no longer be picked up for giving change. The second method is the use of two or more bill dispensers. In this case, bills of different values are separately stored in respective storages devices in the bill dispensers. When giving change or making an exchange, the system main unit drives the bill dispensers to release bills one after another in a proper order, and the desired specific bills will be transferred to the bill-outlet slot only when they have all been picked up. However, this multiple bill dispenser design requires a long bill passage and multiple electromagnetic valves for controlling multiple gates to achieve the desired dispensing operation. In consequence, the machine of this multiple bill dispenser design has drawbacks of large size, complicated structure and high manufacturing cost.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a measure that eliminates the drawbacks of the aforesaid prior art design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a dual-passage auto-search bill acceptor, which is capable of controlling a control gate to close or open the bill-transfer passage between a storage module and a register module, achieving the function of picking up a specific bill from mixed bills.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a dual-passage auto-search bill acceptor comprises an acceptor housing, a cash box, and a bill dispenser. The acceptor housing comprises a base, a bill-inlet passage defined in the base for receiving a bill inserted by a user, a bill-outlet passage defined in the base and extended upwardly from a rear end of the bill-inlet passage, a bill-transfer mechanism mounted in the base for transferring a bill through the bill-inlet passage for bill intake or bill return and also for transferring a bill through the bill-outlet passage for giving change, and a bill-presser mounted in the base below the bill-transfer mechanism. The cash box comprises a box body mounted at a rear bottom side of the base of the acceptor housing and defining therein a bill accommodation chamber for receiving bills being pressed by the bill-presser. The bill dispenser comprises a dispenser housing mounted at a top side of the base, a bill-return passage defined in the dispenser housing in communication with the bill-inlet passage and the bill-outlet passage, a storage module with a first bill-receiving wheel, a register module with a second bill-receiving wheel, and a control gate biasable to open and close a bill passage between the storage module and the register module. The bill dispenser is adapted for performing a bill-collection process and a giving-change process selectively. When performing the bill collection process, the bill-transfer mechanism is controlled to transfer a bill from the bill-return passage to the storage module for enabling the bill to be rolled up onto the first bill-receiving wheel. When performing the giving-change process, the first bill-receiving wheel is controlled to transfer specific bills from mixed bills through the bill-return passage into the bill-outlet passage for giving change to the user, enabling the bills coming before the specific bills to be transferred over the control gate into the register module and rolled up onto the second bill-receiving wheel for temporary storage and then delivered back to the storage module for storage after completion of the procedure of giving change. Since this one single bill dispenser is capable of achieving the above-described operation, it does not occupy much installation space in the acceptor housing, simplifying the overall structure of the bill acceptor, minimizing the amount of component parts, facilitating installation and reducing the manufacturing cost.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the acceptor housing further comprises a bill recognition device mounted in the base to face toward the bill-inlet passage and adapted for recognizing the authenticity of each bill being transferred by the bill-transfer mechanism so that if a bill is recognized by the bill recognition device to be a true bill of the maximum denomination, the bill-transfer mechanism is controlled to transfer the bill to the bill-presser, and then the bill-presser is controlled to press the bill into the box body of the cash box; if a bill is recognized by the bill recognition device to be a counterfeit or the user cancels the trading, the bill-transfer mechanism is controlled to transfer the bill backwardly through the bill-inlet passage for returning to the user.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, when the bill recognition device judges that an inserted bill is usable for giving change, the bill-presser is controlled to transfer the bill upwardly through the bill-inlet passage toward the bill-return passage of the bill dispenser for collection. Thus, the bill dispenser can control the control gate to close or open the bill passage between the storage module and the register module for the selection of specific bills from mixed bills and bill dispenser, enabling the bills that can be used for giving change and come before the specific bills to be transferred over the control gate into the register module and rolled up onto the second bill-receiving wheel for temporary storage and then delivered back to the storage module for storage after completion of the procedure of giving change.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the acceptor housing further comprises a recessed portion located in the base and facing toward the bill-outlet slot, and a fence-like auto-return safety gate pivotally mounted in the recessed portion for prohibiting movement of a bill from the bill-outlet slot into the bill-outlet passage and allowing movement of a bill from the bill-outlet passage toward the bill-outlet slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, a dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor in accordance with the present invention is shown. The dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor comprises an acceptor housing1, and a cash box2, and a bill dispenser3.

The acceptor housing1comprises a base11, a face panel110mounted at a front side of the base11and defining therein a bill-inlet slot1101and a bill-outlet slot1102, a bill-inlet passage111and a bill-outlet passage112defined in the base11and respectively backwardly extended from the bill-inlet slot1101and the bill-outlet slot1102, a control system (not shown), a first bill-transfer roller set121of a bill-transfer mechanism12and a bill recognition device13mounted in the base11in a proper order to face toward the bill-inlet passage111, a bill-presser14mounted in the base11below the bill-transfer mechanism12, and a second bill-transfer roller set122of the bill-transfer mechanism12mounted in the base11to face toward the bill-outlet passage112. The bill recognition device13comprises a light transmitter131and a light receiver132respectively disposed at the same side or two opposite sides relative to the bill-inlet passage111.

Further, a bill-pressing passage140is longitudinally defined in the base11at a back side of the bill-presser14and connected to an inner end of the bill-inlet passage111. The bill-presser14comprises a first motor141, a transmission wheel set142rotatably by the first motor141, a second motor143, a linkage144coupled between the second motor143and a bill-pressing plate145and drivable by the second motor143to move the bill-pressing plate145. Further, the bill-inlet passage111comprises a front section111aconnected to the bill-inlet slot1101, a curved section111bcurved downwardly from an inner end of the front section111aremote from the bill-inlet slot1101and terminating in the bill-pressing passage140, and a shunt section111cupwardly extended from the curved section111band terminating in the bill-outlet passage112. Further, an anti-theft hook15is pivotally mounted in the curved section111bof the bill-inlet passage111; an anti-backflow gate16is pivotally mounted in the connection area between the shunt section111cand the bill-outlet passage112.

The cash box2comprises a box body21detachably mounted in a rear lower side of the base11to face toward the bill-presser14and defining therein a bill accommodation chamber20and an opening201in a front side of the bill accommodation chamber20, a bearing plate22placed in the bill accommodation chamber20of the box body21and pressable by the bill-pressing plate145to move in the bill accommodation chamber20in direction away from the opening201, and a plurality of spring members23mounted in a bottom side of the bill accommodation chamber20and abutted against a bottom wall of the bearing plate22to support the bearing plate22in the bill accommodation chamber20in balance and adapted for imparting an elastic restoring force to the bearing plate22toward the opening201.

The bill dispenser3is mounted at a top side of the base11comprising a dispenser housing31, a bill-return passage311defined in the dispenser housing31in communication with the bill-inlet passage111and the bill-outlet passage112, a first bill-receiving wheel321of a storage module32, a second bill-receiving wheel331of a register module33respectively mounted in the dispenser housing31and disposed to face toward the bill-return passage311, a control gate34mounted in the dispenser housing31and adapted for switching the passage between the storage module32and the register module33, at least one motor312mounted in the dispenser housing31, and a gear transmission mechanism313mounted in the dispenser housing31and drivable by the motor312to rotate the first bill-receiving wheel321and the second bill-receiving wheel331. Further, the control gate34can be a panel or grating mounted between the storage module32and the register module33and movable by an electromagnetic valve through a link.

In application, the dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor can be used in an automatic vending machine, automatic teller machine, game machine, or any other automated trading machine that provides exchange, purchase of goods, consumer services. After installation of the acceptor housing1in an automated trading machine, the control system of the acceptor housing1and the driving mechanism of the bill dispenser3are electrically connected to the host unit of the automated trading machine for data and power transmission. In actual application, the dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor can be used independently, enabling the driving mechanism of the bill dispenser3to be electrically connected to the control system of the acceptor housing1for data and power transmission. After installation of the dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor in the automatic vending machine, automatic teller machine, game machine or automated trading machine, the dual-bill passage auto-search bill acceptor provides the automatic vending machine, automatic teller machine, game machine or automated trading machine with exchange, purchase of goods, consumer services and other functions.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, when a user inserts a bill4into the bill-inlet slot1101of the acceptor housing1toward the bill-inlet passage111, a sensor of the control system will detect the presence of the inserted bill4in the bill-inlet passage111and activate the motor of the bill-transfer mechanism12to rotate the first bill-transfer roller set121, thereby transferring the bill4to the bill recognition device13where the light transmitter131and the light receiver132of the bill recognition device13are activated to detect the authenticity of the bill4subject to the control of the control system. If the bill recognition device13detected that the bill4is a true bill, the first bill-transfer roller set121will be driven to transfer the bill4from the front section111aof the bill-inlet passage111to the curved section111bto bias the anti-theft hook15and to continuously transfer the bill4downwardly through the curved section111binto the bill-pressing passage140of the bill-presser14, and the first motor141will then be controlled to rotate the transmission wheel set142, thereby carrying the bill4to a predetermined position where the bill4faces toward the opening201of the cash box2. At this time, the first motor141will be stopped, awaiting the user to proceed to a follow-up procedure for exchange, purchase of goods, consumer services.

When the control system confirms the execution of the trading order, the control system will judge whether or not the bill4can be used for giving change. If the bill4is of the maximum denomination and cannot be used for giving change, the transmission wheel set142of the bill-presser14will be driven to carry the bill4continuously forward. After the bill4is completely moved over the anti-theft hook15, the anti-theft hook15will automatically return to its previous position, and the second motor143of the bill-presser14will be controlled to move the bill-pressing plate145through the linkage144, causing the bill-pressing plate145to push the bill4through the opening201of the cash box2onto the bearing plate22and to further force the bearing plate22against the spring members23and enabling the bill4to be received in the bill accommodation chamber20of the cash box2. Thereafter, the bill-pressing plate145is returned to its previous position, and the bearing plate22is pushed back toward the opening201by the elastic restoring energy of the spring members23, enabling the received bill4to be secured in place between the bearing plate22and an inner edge of the box body21around the opening201. In application, the aforesaid procedure is repeated again and again, and thus, a plurality of bills4are properly received and stored in the cash box2in a stack. Further, if the user cancel the trading or the bill recognition device13recognizes the inserted bill4to be a counterfeit, the first bill-transfer roller set121of the bill-transfer mechanism12will be operated to mate with the operation of the transmission wheel set142of the bill-presser14for a bill return process, carrying the inserted counterfeit bill4reversely along the bill-inlet passage111to the bill-inlet slot1101to return the counterfeit bill4to the user.

Referring toFIG. 6,FIG. 7andFIG. 8, the bill intake and bill return processes of the acceptor housing1are same as conventional bill acceptors with the exception of the action after confirmed the trading. When the control system confirms the execution of the trading order, the control system will judge whether or not the bill4can be used for giving change. If the bill4can be used for giving change, the transmission wheel set142of the bill-presser14will be driven to carry the bill4from the position adjacent to the cash box2along the bill-pressing passage140upwardly over the anti-theft hook15to the shunt section111cof the bill-inlet passage111to push the anti-backflow gate16to bias, allowing the bill4to be moved into the bill-return passage311of the dispenser housing31of the bill dispenser3for a bill collection process. After the bill4completely passed over the bill-return passage311, the anti-backflow gate16automatically returns to its previous position to stop the bill4from being moved back, avoiding blockage or jamming. Further, the arrangement of the anti-theft hook15prevents the inserted bill4from being pulled back by a tool by an evil user.

When the control system of the acceptor housing1controls the bill dispenser3to run the bill collection process, the motor312of the dispenser housing31drives the gear transmission mechanism313to rotate the first bill-receiving wheel321of the storage module32, circulating transmission means of drive and drive rollers and an endless belt thereof and carrying the bill4through the bill-return passage311into the storage module32, and the bill4can then be rolled up and secured to the periphery of the first bill-receiving wheel321; the motor312can also drive the gear transmission mechanism313to rotate the second bill-receiving wheel331of the register module33, circulating transmission means of drive and drive rollers and an endless belt thereof and carrying the bill4through the control gate34into the register module33, enabling the bill4to be rolled up and secured to the periphery of the second bill-receiving wheel331.

As stated above, after the control system confirms the trading, the inserted bill4has reached a specific area in the bill dispenser3. If the trading is needed to give change, the control system will pick up the specific bill4from the mixed bills4in the storage module32. The procedure of giving change is as follows: Assuming that the first bill-receiving wheel321of the storage module32has 7 pieces of bills4wound thereon, if the result of the trade calculation made by the control system is to give the client the third bill4, the fourth bill4the seventh bill4on the first bill-receiving wheel321for change, the control system will control the first bill-receiving wheel321to rotate reversely, returning the first bill4, the second bill4, the fifth bill4and the sixth bill4back to the bill-return passage311of the dispenser housing31, and will control the electromagnetic valve of the control gate34to bias the control gate34toward the bill-outlet passage112, switching the bill-transfer passage from the storage module32to the register module33, so that the selected bills4can be delivered to the register module33and wound around the second bill-receiving wheel331for temporary storage. The aforesaid third, fourth and seventh bills4can then be transferred over the control gate34into the bill-outlet passage112as the control gate34closes the bill-transfer passage between the storage module32and the register module33. Thereafter, the first bill-transfer roller set121of the bill-transfer mechanism12will be rotated to transfer these bills4toward the outside of the bill-outlet slot1102. After give the change to the client, the second bill-receiving wheel331will then be rotated to release the first, second, fifth and sixth bills4, enabling these bills4to be moved over the control gate34along the bill-return passage311to the storage module32and then rolled up onto the first bill-receiving wheel321for further dispensing or accumulation in the follow-up trade calculation.

Further, if the control system judges that the trading is needed to give change and if the first few bills4of the mixed bills4in the storage module32are in the sequence for giving change, the first bill-receiving wheel321will be reversed to release these bills4, and the control gate34will be biased to close the bill-transfer passage between the storage module32and the register module33, prohibiting these bills4from being transferred to the register module33for temporary storage, and enabling these bills4to be directly transferred over the control gate34along the bill-outlet passage112toward the outside of the bill-outlet slot1102to complete the procedure of giving change.

In this embodiment, after confirmed the trading, if the control system of the acceptor housing1judges according to the detection of the bill recognition device13that the inserted bill4is a true bill of the maximum denomination, the bill-transfer mechanism12will be driven to transfer the inserted bill4along the bill-inlet passage111in the base11to the bill-presser14for pressing by the bill-presser14into the cash box2. In case the bill4can be used for giving change, the will4will be transferred through the bill-return passage31in the dispenser housing31of the bill dispenser3and then rolled up onto the first bill-receiving wheel321of the storage module32. If the result of the trading calculation needs to give change, the bills4to be given to the user for change will then be transferred through the bill-return passage31into the bill-outlet passage112above the bill-inlet passage111for giving to the user; the other bills4that need not to be used for giving change will be transferred through the bill-transfer passage between the storage module32and the register module33subject to the control of the control gate34, and then rolled up onto the second bill-receiving wheel331of the register module33. After giving change to the user, the other bills4that can be used for giving change are sent back to the storage module32subject to the control of the control gate34, and then rolled up onto the first bill-receiving wheel321for further use.

As stated above, the bill dispenser3of the invention can control an electromagnetic valve or other electric driving device (not shown) to move the control gate34between an open position and a close position, switching the bill-transfer passage between the storage module32and the register module33, so that the bill dispenser3can pick up the specific bills4from the mixed bills4and directly transfer the non-specific bills4to the register module33for temporary storage, and then transfer these non-specific bills4back to the storage module32for storage after finished the procedure of giving change, and these non-specific bills4can be used for giving change in a further operation. Since this one single bill dispenser3is capable of achieving the above-described operation, it does not occupy much installation space in the acceptor housing1, simplifying the overall structure of the bill acceptor, minimizing the amount of component parts, facilitating installation and reducing the manufacturing cost. Further, the dual-bill passage design of the bill-inlet passage111and the bill-outlet passage112of the acceptor housing1eliminates the problem of jammed bill in a complicated multi-gate structural design of one single bill passage, providing clients with convenience and practicality in trading.

However, many methods can be applied to the control system of the acceptor housing1and the bill dispenser3for controlling the storage module32and the register module33to dispense and store the bills4for giving change, for example, controlling the motor312to drive the gear transmission mechanism313in rotating the first bill-receiving wheel321and the second bill-receiving wheel331so as to cycle an endless belt and to adjust its tension, enabling the bills4to be rolled up onto the first bill-receiving wheel321or the second bill-receiving wheel331accurately for storage, and the control gate34can be controlled to open or close the bill passage between the storage module32and the register module33for allowing transfer of bills4between the storage module32and the register module33subject to the detection of sensor means in detecting the position of the control gate34. In actual application, any other measures or structural designs can be selectively used as a substitute to achieve the control of the position of the control gate34and the control of the operation of the first bill-receiving wheel321of the storage module32and the control of the operation of the second bill-receiving wheel331of the register module33.

Referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, the acceptor housing1further comprises a recessed portion113located in the base11and facing toward the bill-outlet slot1102of the face panel110and the bill-outlet passage112, and a fence-like auto-return safety gate17pivotally mounted in the recessed portion113. When the bill dispenser3transfers the bill4into the bill-outlet passage112for giving change to the user, the fence-like auto-return safety gate17will be biased toward the recessed portion113by the bill4so that the bill4can pass over the fence-like auto-return safety gate17. After the bill4passed over the fence-like safety gate17, the fence-like auto-return safety gate17is automatically returned to its previous position. If a user inserts the bill4or any other object through the bill-outlet slot1102of the face panel110toward the bill-outlet passage112in the base11, the inserted bill or object will be stopped outside the bill-outlet passage112by the fence-like auto-return safety gate17, preventing the inserted bill4or object from blocking the bill-outlet passage112.

Further, the anti-theft hook15, the anti-backflow gate16and the fence-like auto-return safety gate17are respectively loaded with a spring such that the anti-theft hook15, the anti-backflow gate16and the fence-like auto-return safety gate17are respectively biasable by moving the bill4for enabling the bill4to pass, and will be automatically returned to their respective previous position after the bill4passed. In an alternate form of the present invention, an electromagnetic valve or any other suitable electric control device can be used for moving the fence-like auto-return safety gate17through a linkage to close or open the bill-outlet passage112subject to the detection of a sensor.

In conclusion, the invention provides a dual-passage auto-search bill acceptor, which comprises an acceptor housing1, a cash box2mounted at the back side of the acceptor housing1that comprises a base11, a bill-inlet passage111and a bill-outlet passage112defined in the base11at different elevations, a bill-presser14mounted in the base11at a bottom side and a bill-transfer mechanism12mounted in the base11and adapted for transferring each inserted bill4of the maximum denomination from the bill-inlet passage111to the bill-presser14, the cash box2mounted in a rear bottom side of the acceptor housing1for receiving each bill4of the maximum denomination from the bill-presser14, and a bill dispenser3mounted at the top side of the acceptor housing1. The bill dispenser3comprises a storage module32with a first bill-receiving wheel321, a register module33with a second bill-receiving wheel331and a control gate34for switching the bill passage between the storage module32and the register module33, and is adapted for performing a bill-collection process and a giving-change process. When performing the bill-collection process, to take up the bills4from the bill-presser14that can be used for giving change, and giving-change process selectively. When performing the bill collection process, the second bill-receiving wheel331of the storage module32is rotated to take up the bills4that can be used for giving change and that are transferred from the bill-presser14. When performing the giving-change process, the bill dispenser3picks up the specific bills4from the mixed bills4on the first bill-receiving wheel321, and transfers these specific bills4into the bill-outlet passage112for giving change to the user, enabling the bills4coming before the specific bills4to be transferred over the control gate34into the register module33and rolled up onto the second bill-receiving wheel331for temporary storage and then delivered back to the storage module32for storage after completion of the procedure of giving change.