Abstract:
A filter disk filters coins deposited into coin machines for counting, sorting, separating or processing coins to prevent the introduction or entry of foreign objects and debris into the coin machine, thus protecting and ensuring the proper functioning of the machine.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Brazilian Patent Application Serial Number 10 2015 024148 8 filed Sep. 18, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to coin machines and, more particularly to a filter disk for separating debris and foreign objects from coins deposited into the coin machine. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present patent application relates to a filter disk for filtering coins whose purpose it is to separate foreign objects from coins. The filter disk comprises a fixed disc with holes and slots with the ability to prevent the introduction or entry of objects that are not coins into machines for counting, sorting, separating or processing coins, thus protecting and ensuring the proper functioning of the machine. The filter disk is intended for use in a self-service machine of the type for the general public, preferably for a coin counting machine as described by the patent filed on Mar. 21, 2012 with the Brazilian National Industrial Property Institute [INPI] under the number BR 1020120062984. 
     In the current state of the art, users usually empty their personal containers, such as old cans or bottles or piggy banks, directly into the coin machine without first checking whether the contents only include coins. Buttons, medallions, screws, balls and various other objects will therefore likely be present with the coins in the machine. Consequently, it is necessary for a debris filter to be disposed at the inlet of the coin machine in order to ensure that the coin machine is not damaged during use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,546 issued on Oct. 15, 1996 describes filtering by means of a funnel-type conical tray. The lower portion of the funnel is perforated, thus enabling small foreign objects to exit the funnel through these holes and allowing only the coins to pass through to the next step. Once the coins are in the funnel, the user has the opportunity to remove large foreign objects. After inspecting the coins, the user presses the “Go” button, thus indicating that he would like to use the machine, upon which the edge of the articulated tray is raised, causing the coins to fall into a chute. When the “Go” button is pressed, the coin counter is started up, and a blower on the interior of the chute is activated. The blower blows light debris, such as lint and dust, out of the chute and away from the coin counting/sorting mechanism. The surface of the bottom of the chute is a plate with slots and holes that allows any loose fluids to be removed from the coins and collected, which helps prevent possible damage to the machine. Magnetic strips are disposed placed affixed along the areas of the inlet and outlet entrance and exit of the chute in order to remove any magnetic objects that may be included among the coins. 
     Manufacturers of coin counting equipment, such as Hess, ScanCoin, EccosTecno (Gerbô), Pentasis, and WR do Brasil have equipment with their own mechanisms for preventing the introduction of foreign objects into their machines. Their machines have simple mechanisms, since they are intended for use in the office or back-office and not by the general public as a self-serve machine for consumers. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to a filter disk for filtering coins deposited into coin machines for counting, sorting, separating or processing coins to prevent the introduction or entry of objects that are not coins into the coin machines, thus protecting and ensuring the proper functioning of the machine. The filter disk is intended for self-service coin machines of the type for the general public, such as the coin counting machine described by the patent filed on Mar. 21, 2012 with the Brazilian National Industrial Property Institute [INPI] under the number BR 1020120062984. The filter disk includes a series of slots and holes that are sized and arranged to allow foreign objects and debris smaller than the coins to pass through the filter disk. Thus, foreign objects and debris may be separated from the coins. 
     One exemplary embodiment of the disclosure comprises a coin serializer for a coin machine including a filter disk to separate foreign objects and debris from coins deposited into the coin machine. A receiving unit in the coin serializer includes a coin outlet for discharging coins from the coin serializer and at least one debris outlet for discharging foreign objects and debris from the coin serializer. A rotating disk is rotatably mounted to the receiving unit to serialize coins deposited in the coin machine and transport coins one at a time to the coin outlet. The rotating disk comprises a plurality of coin openings in which the coins are received. The filter disk is disposed between the rotating disk and the receiving unit. The filter disk comprises a coin slot sized and arranged to allow coins to pass through the filter disk and exit the coin serializer through the coin outlet, and at least one set of filter slots sized to allow foreign objects and debris smaller than coins to pass through the filter disk. The filter slots are arranged so that the coin openings in the rotating disk pass over the filter slots as the rotating disk rotates to filter foreign objects and debris. 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure comprises a filter disk for a coin machine. The filter disk comprises a flat, annular plate having a central opening and an outer periphery. A coin slot is formed in the annular plate and is sized and arranged to allow coins deposited into the coin machine to pass through the filter disk. A first set of circumferentially spaced filter slots is formed in the outer periphery of the filter disk and are sized to allow foreign objects and debris smaller than coins to pass through the filter disk. A second set of parallel, arcuate shaped filter slots are formed in the annular plate and extend between the central opening of the filter disk and the outer periphery of the filter disk. The second set of filter slots are likewise sized to allow foreign objects and debris smaller than coins to pass through the filter disk. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure comprises a coin machine incorporating the filter disk as described above. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure comprises a coin machine incorporating the coin serializer as described above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coin machine including a filter disk for separating debris and foreign objects from coins deposited into the coin machine. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the coin machine. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control system for the coin machine. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a coin serializer for the coin machine with a hopper installed. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a coin serializer for the coin machine with the hopper removed. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the coin serializer showing the filter disk. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the filter disk for the coin serializer. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the filter disk for the coin serializer. 
         FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the filter disk for the coin serializer. 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the filter disk for the coin serializer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an exemplary coin machine  10  according to one embodiment. The main components on the coin machine  10  comprise a housing  12 , an internal frame structure  32 , a coin disk filter  42 , a coin serializer  44 , a coin validator  46 , and a drawer safe  48 . 
     The housing  12  comprises a rear housing section  14 , a front housing section  16 , a front panel  22 , and a console  26 . The rear housing section  14  and front housing section  16  may be constructed of plastic, metal, or other suitable material. The front housing section  16  connects to the lower portion of the rear housing section  14 . The front housing section  16  includes a door  18  for accessing the drawer safe  48  contained within the housing  12  and a coin reject slot  20  through which coins rejected by the coin machine are returned to the user. The front panel  22  attaches to the upper portion of the rear housing section  14  and includes a touch screen display  24  to receive user input and display information to the user. The main console  26  attaches to the upper end of the front housing section  16 . The main console  26  includes an opening  28  through which coins are received into the coin machine  10 . As will be hereinafter described in greater detail, the coin disk filter  42  is affixed to the main console  26  and is disposed immediately below the coin opening  28  to receive coins deposited by a user. In some embodiments, a joy stick  30  may be affixed to the main console  26  to allow users to interact with the coin machine and/or play games while coins are being counted. 
     An internal frame structure  32  is contained within the housing  12 . To prevent theft of the coin machine  10 , the rear housing section  14  and internal frame  32  are affixed to a base plate  34  that can be bolted or otherwise secured to the floor. The frame  32  may also include attachment points for attaching the rear housing section  14  and front housing section  16 . 
     The main components of the coin machine  10  involved in processing coins comprise the coin disk filter  42 , coin serializer  44 , coin validator  46 , and drawer safe  48 . The coin disk filter  42 , as previously described, affixes to the console  26  and is disposed below the opening  28  to receive coins that are being exchanged. The main function of the coin disk filter  42  is to separate coins from larger objects and direct the flow of coins to the coin serializer  44 . The coin serializer  44  receives coins from the coin disk filter  42 . The main functions of the coin serializer  44  are to serialize the coins input to the coin machine  10  and to filter smaller objects or coins of different metals. The coin validator  46  receives the coins from the coin serializer  42  and validates the coins. Coins may be either accepted or rejected by the coin validator. Coins that are accepted are directed into the drawer safe  48 , which stores the coins until they are collected. Coins that are rejected are directed to the reject slot  20  in the door  18  on the front cover  16 . The coin validator  46  communicates with the control system  100  of the coin machine  10 , which keeps a count of the amount of money deposited into the coin machine  10 . 
     The control system  100 , shown schematically in  FIG. 3 , comprises a main processor  102  that receives input from the coin validator  46  and various sensors, controls the operation of the coin machine  10 , and performs the accounting functions. When a user deposits coins into the coin machine  10 , the main processor  102  receives an input signal from a presence sensor  104  indicating the presence of coins in the coin disk filter  42  and activates the coin disk filter motor  106 . An encoder (not shown) associated with the motor  106  provides feedback to the main processor  102  indicating that the coin disk filter  42  is spinning. In response to input from the presence sensor  104  and encoder, the main processor  102  activates a solenoid (not shown) to open the coin entrance door in the coin disk filter  42 . When the coin entrance door is open, the coins are directed to the coin serializer  44 . 
     A second presence sensor  108  in the coin serializer  44  indicates when coins are present in the coin serializer  44 . Upon detection of coins in the coin serializer  44 , the main processor  102  activates a motor  110  for the coin serializer  44 . As previously described the coin serializer  44  filters foreign objects and debris and passes the coins one at a time to the coin validator  46 . 
     The coin validator  46  validates coins and separates coins of different type. The coin validator  46  provides input to the main processor  102  indicating the number of validated coins of different types. The main processor  102  includes an accounting function to keep account of the value of the coins deposited into the coin machine  10 . When the user has finished depositing coins, the main processor  102  issues a receipt for the deposit. In addition, the main processor  102  may enable the user to apply the amount of the deposit towards coupons, vouchers, donations to charity, pre-paid cell phone accounts, and other services that can be aggravated through the software. 
       FIGS. 4-10  illustrate the coin serializer  44  in more detail. The coin serializer  44  generally comprises a fixation base  52 , a filter disk  70 , a rotating disk  80 , and a hopper  90 . The rotating disk  80  is rotatably mounted to the fixation base  52 . The filter disk  70  is disposed between the rotating disk  80  and the fixation base  52 . The hopper  90  mounts on the fixation base  52  and partially encloses the rotating disk  80  and filter disk  70 . The main function of the hopper  90  is to funnel coins from the coin disk filter  42  to the coin serializer  44 . Coins deposited into the coin machine  10  are directed from the coin disk filter  42  into the hopper  90 , where the coins are stored until being processed by the coin serializer  44 . 
     The fixation base  52 , shown best in  FIG. 6 , includes a generally flat base plate  54  having a coin outlet  66  formed therein to discharge coins one at a time. A coin chute  56  affixes to the base plate  54  and is arranged so that coins fall through the coin outlet  66  into the coin chute  56 . The bottom of the coin chute  56  may include openings  58  to allow dust and other small particles to fall by gravity out of the coin chute  56 . Coins falling into the coin chute  56  slide by gravity along the coin chute  56  and are directed to the coin validator  46 . The base plate  54  further includes debris outlets  62 ,  64 , as described in more detail below, to receive foreign objects and debris that are separated from the coins by the coin serializer. Debris chutes (not shown) may be affixed to the base plate  54  to direct the foreign objects and debris to a collection area. 
     The motor  110  for the coin serializer  44  is affixed to the underside of the base plate  54 . A drive member  60  connects to an output shaft of the motor  110 . As will be described in more detail below, the motor  110  is operative to rotate the rotating disk  80  when activated by the main processor  102 , i.e. when coins are present in the coin serializer  44 . The motor  110  normally rotates clockwise during operation, but can also be rotated counter-clockwise in case coins get jammed to free any jammed coins. 
     The filter disk  70 , shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , comprises an annular plate having a central opening and an outer periphery. The annular plate may, for example, be made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW), a high-performance polymer that allows coins to easily slide along its surface. The filter disk is affixed to the top side of the base plate  54  on the fixation base  52 . The filter disk  70  includes an oblong-shaped coin slot  72  that aligns with the coin outlet  66  in the base plate  54 . The filter disk  70  further includes two sets of filter slots: the primary filter slots  74  and secondary filter slots  76 . The filter slots  74  and  76  are sized so that foreign objects less than a pre-determined size will pass through the filter slots. The primary filter slots  74  are located along the outer periphery of the filter disk  70 . The primary filter slots  74  generally comprise u-shaped slot extending inward from an outer periphery of the filter disk  70  and separated by serrations on the outer periphery of the filter disk  70 . The secondary filter slots  76  are located between the primary filter slots and the coin slot  72 . The secondary filter slots  76  comprise a series of parallel, arcuate shaped slots formed in the annular plate. The secondary filter slots  76  extend between the central opening of the filter disk and the outer periphery of the filter disk. The length of the secondary filter slots  76  is greater than a diameter of the largest coin that can be accepted by the coin machine. As will be described in more detail below, the filter slots  74  and  76  successively filter foreign objects and debris to separate the coins before the coins are discharged from the coin serializer  44 . 
     The filter disk  70  further includes a slot  78  that is engaged by a hook-like element (not shown) on the coin chute  56 . 
     The rotating disk  80  rotatably mounts to the drive member  66  on the fixation base  52 . The rotating disk  80  has a series of coin openings  82  circumferentially spaced along the outer circumference of the rotating disk  80 . When the presence of coins in the coin serializer  44  is detected, the main processor  102  activates the motor  106  for the coin serializer  44  to rotate the rotating disk  80 . The coins input to the coin serializer  44  fit in the openings of the rotating disk  80 , which transports the coins to the coin slot  82  in the filter disk  80 . While the rotating disk  80  is rotating, the coin openings  82  will successively pass over the filter slots  84  and  86  in the filtration disk  80 . The filter slots  84  and  86  are sized so that the coins will not fall through the filter slots  84 ,  86 . However, foreign objects and debris picked up in the coin openings  82  may pass through the filter slots  84  and  86 . Thus, small objects collected in the coin openings  82  are allowed to fall through the filter slots  74 ,  76  in the filter disc  70  before the coin opening  82  passes over the coin slot  72 . Therefore, foreign objects and debris may be separated from the coins. As the coin opening passes over the coin slot  72  in the filter disk  70 , the coin falls through the coin slot  72  and into the coin chute  56 .