Abstract:
A coin bank includes a housing having a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area includes a drawer slidably mounted in the housing and a coin tube support movably mounted in the drawer between a first position, when the drawer is fully retracted into the housing and a second position, when the drawer is fully extended from the housing. A plurality of coin tubes is mounted in the coin tube support for holding sorted coins. The plurality of coin tubes is inclined in relation to a vertical axis for receiving sorted coins when the drawer is in a retracted position. A reservoir is located directly above each of the coin tubes for holding at least one additional coin above a stack of coins completely filling the coin tube.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a coin bank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coin bank which separates, sorts and stores five different denominations of coins. 
     Coin sorting devices are generally known. A user places one or more coins in a hopper or similar coin receiving location. A coin separating mechanism separates the coins and moves them, hopefully one at a time, into a coin sorting mechanism. The coin sorting mechanism classifies the coins by their diameter. Coins of a particular diameter, and consequently of a particular denomination, are directed into the appropriate one of a plurality of sorted coin storage containers. The containers are accessible in order that the sorted coins can be removed. 
     Coin separating mechanisms employing rotating coin separator plates are known. One such separator plate is in the form of a disk having four U-shaped notches formed in its periphery. Each notch is sized to be larger in width than the largest coin which is to be sorted by a coin sorter. The separator plate is mounted on a planar base of the receiver, the base being fixed to an upper housing at a slope of approximately 45° from the horizontal. Coins tend to come to rest in the lowermost portion of the receiver with their faces contacting the separator plate or the base. When the separator plate is rotated, it will engage a coin with the edge of one of its notches and carry the coin upward to an opening formed in the base where the coin will fall through into an upper portion of a coin ramp leading to a sorting ramp. The ramp has apertures of increasing size through which the coins fall into sorted coin containers. 
     However, this known coin separating mechanism is not capable of sorting coins of five different denominations. Moreover, the known mechanism does not employ a drawer in which the coin containers are held in order to allow an easy removal of the coin containers from the housing of the coin bank. Another deficiency in known coin sorters is that the coins being sorted bounce or wobble, especially just upstream of the sorted coin containers. This reduces the coin counting consistency and accuracy of the known banks. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved five coin bank which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others, as well as providing better and more advantageous overall results. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a coin bank is provided. More particularly, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins and a coin sorting assembly mounted in the housing and located beneath the coin receiving area. A drawer is slidably mounted in the housing beneath the coin sorting assembly. A coin tube support is movably mounted in the drawer. A plurality of coin tubes is mounted in the coin tube support for holding sorted coins. The plurality of coin tubes is inclined in relation to a vertical axis for receiving sorted coins when the drawer is in a retracted position in relation to the housing and is approximately upright for removing at least one of the plurality of coin tubes when the drawer is in an extended position in relation to the housing. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a coin bank is provided. 
     More particularly in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins, and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area comprises a coin tube support, and at least one coin tube mounted in the coin tube support for holding a selected number of sorted coins. A reservoir is located directly above the at least one coin tube for holding at least one additional coin atop a stack of coins held in the at least one coin tube and completely filling same. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a coin bank is provided. 
     More particularly, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area comprises a coin slide area located beneath the coin sorting area. The coin slide area has a sliding surface with an upper end and a lower end. An aperture is located in the sliding surface lower end. A depending wall extends away from the sliding surface lower end and at least partially surrounds the sliding surface aperture. An aperture extends through the depending wall. 
     In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method of sorting and storing coins is provided. 
     In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method comprises the steps of conveying unsorted coins to a coin container and sorting the coins. A set of coin containers beneath the coin sorter is oriented at an acute angle in relation to a vertical axis, and coins are passed into the set of coin containers. At least one of the coin containers is filled to create a completely filled container. At least one additional coin is stored in a reservoir located immediately above a stack of coins held in the completely filled container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangements of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: 
     FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of a first portion of a coin bank according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of a second portion of a coin bank according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 1C is an exploded perspective view of a third portion of a coin bank according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged assembled perspective view of the coin bank of FIG. 1 with a drawer thereof shown in an extended position and with a cover thereof removed; 
     FIG. 3 is a front-elevational view of the coin bank of FIG. 2 with the drawer shown in a retracted position; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the coin bank of FIG. 2 taken from a right rear thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of the coin bank of FIG. 2 with the drawer shown in a retracted and in a partially extended position; 
     FIG. 6 is a side-elevational view of the coin bank of FIG. 2 with the drawer shown in a fully extended position; 
     FIG. 7A is an exploded perspective view of the drawer of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7B is an enlarged assembled view of a portion of the drawer of FIG. 7A; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a base of the coin bank of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the coin slide of FIG. 1B; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a coin tube base of the coin bank of FIG. 1A; 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a support wall of the coin bank of FIG. 1A; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a back housing of the coin bank of FIG. 1B; 
     FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of a coin slide of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view from the front right of a portion of the coin slide of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is a schematic side elevational view illustrating coins overflowing a reservoir positioned above a coin tube of the coin bank and flowing into an overflow area; and, 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic side-elevational view of the coin bank as the drawer is pulled out, thus allowing the overflow coins in the reservoir to flow into the overflow area. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting same, the Figures show a coin bank in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     With reference now to FIG. 1B, the coin bank, according to the present invention, comprises a base  10  on which is positioned a ramp  12 . The ramp is preferably secured to the base by suitable fasteners  13 . Mounted on the base  10  is a back housing  14 . Secured to the back housing is a switch  16  on which is mounted an activation button  17 . One or more batteries  18  can be mounted in a battery housing compartment  19  formed in the back housing  14 . A coin overflow compartment  20  can be mounted to the base  10  via suitable fasteners  22 . An overflow coin removal opening  24  is located in the back housing  14 . 
     With reference now also to FIG. 1A, slidably mounted in the base  10  is a drawer  30 . Housed in the drawer  30  is a coin tube base  32  having a rear support wall  34  which is secured to the coin tube base  32  by suitable fasteners  35 . Several coin tubes  36 , one for each denomination of coins meant to be sorted, are selectively mounted on the coin tube base  32  and are supported by the support wall  34 , which has suitably shaped indentations for that purpose. A front wall  40  of the apparatus is mounted to the back housing  14  by suitable fasteners  42  (FIG.  1 B). The front wall  40  is located above the drawer  30  and is spaced therefrom by at least the length of the coin tubes  36 . A motor  44  of the apparatus has an output shaft (not visible in FIG. 1A) connected to a gear train having a plurality of gears  46 . The motor  44  and the gears  46  are mounted in a housing assembly having an upper housing portion  48  and a lower housing portion  50 , which are secured together by a fastener  52 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 1C, suitable fasteners  54  are employed to mount a wheel housing  60  in place in the apparatus. The motor housing halves  48  and  50  are secured by the fastener  52  to a lower face of the wheel housing  60 . Mounted on the wheel housing  60  is a separating wheel  62 . Positioned below the wheel housing  60  and mounted thereto is a coin slide  64 . A cover or hopper  66  is mounted above the wheel housing  60 . With reference again to FIG. 1B, a funnel  68  constitutes a top portion of the coin bank. The funnel is selectively removable from the coin bank to provide access to the separating wheel  62 . The button  17  protrudes through an opening  70  (FIG. 4) in the funnel for access thereto. 
     A more detailed description of the separating wheel  62  and the wheel housing  60 , which together comprise a coin separating and sorting structure for the instant coin bank, can be found in copending application Ser. No. 09/780,826, filed on Feb. 9, 2001. The subject matter of that application is incorporated hereinto by reference in its entirety. 
     With reference now to FIG. 9, the coin slide  64  is provided with five coin sliding surfaces  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146  and  148 . These coin sliding surfaces are meant to accommodate five different diameters of coins. If United States coinage is being sorted, the coins are the dime, penny, nickel, quarter and dollar coins. When such coins are sorted, the dime coin will slide down sliding surface  140  with the penny sliding down surface  142 , the nickel down surface  144 , the quarter down surface  146  and the dollar down surface  148 . Coins are fed to these five sliding surfaces from varying width openings  114  (FIG. 1C) in the wheel housing  60  as explained in greater detail in the copending application referenced above. The coins are delivered to the openings in the wheel housing via apertures  82  (FIG. 1C) of the separator wheel  62  as it rotates. 
     The coin slide slopes from an upper end  149  to a lower end  150 . Positioned at the lower end of each of the coin sliding surfaces  140 - 148  is a respective opening  152   a   152   e . It should be apparent that the several openings  152   a - 152   e  are of different diameters, with the aperture  152   a  having the smallest diameter and the aperture  152   e  having the largest diameter. The diameters of the apertures  152   a - 152   e  are each slightly larger than the diameter of the coin meant to be accommodated in a respective one of the slides. The diameters of the apertures  152   a - 152   e  correspond with the widths of the openings  114  (FIG. 1C) in the wheel housing  60 . 
     A pair of spaced ears  154  are located on the upper end  149  of the coin slide  64 . These ears  154  cooperate with suitable ears  156  (FIG. 1C) extending away from a skirt  112  of the wheel housing  60 . Similarly, spaced posts  157  extend away from the lower end of the coin slide adjacent the smallest and largest diameter apertures  152   a  and  152   e . The posts  157  cooperate with ears  158  (FIG. 1C) extending away from the skirt  112  of the wheel housing  60 . Suitable fasteners, not illustrated, enable the coin slide  64  to be mounted beneath the wheel housing  60  via the cooperating ears  154  and  156  and posts  157  and ears  158 . Note that the center portion of the coin slide lower end  150  is somewhat recessed in relation to the two wings thereof to form a somewhat crescent-shaped lower end  150 . This shape allows the motor housing  48 ,  50  to be secured to the wheel housing while not interfering with the coin slide  64 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 8, the base  10  of the present invention comprises a bottom wall  170 . Extending upwardly from the bottom wall are a pair of triangularly shaped flanges  172 . These each have an edge  173  which serves as a roller contact surface. Also provided is a centrally located drawer guide  174 . A plurality of peripheral stems  176  project upwardly from the bottom wall  170 , adjacent a skirt  177  extending upwardly from the bottom wall  170 . Also provided are a pair of central stems  178 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 7A, the ramp  12  includes a pair of recessed areas  190 . These are aligned with the central posts  178  to correctly position the ramp  12  on the base. The fasteners  13  secure the ramp  12  to the base  10 . The ramp  12  includes a pair of spaced overhangs  194  which are aligned with the flanges  172  of the base and overlie the flanges. Each of the overhangs  194  comprises a first substantially horizontal section  196 , a second upwardly angled section  198  and a third curved section  200 . The overhang sections track the shape of the flanges  172  to maintain a relatively constant distance therebetween, as best seen in FIG.  7 B. 
     With continued reference to FIG. 7A, the drawer  30  comprises a base wall  210  in which are provided a pair of spaced slots  212 . The slots are aligned with and accommodate the flanges  172  and overhangs  194  of the base  10  and ramp  12 . The slots  212  are long enough so that while the drawer reciprocates in relation to the base  10 , the ramp  12  is stationary, along with the base  10 , and the drawer simply slides in relation to these two elements. To this end, the drawer is provided with a raised guide surface  214  which is aligned with and overlies the drawer guide  174  of the base  10 . The drawer also comprises a front wall  216  in which a centrally positioned finger recess  218  is located. 
     With reference now to FIG. 10, the coin tube base  32  comprises a bottom wall  230  in which are provided a plurality of recessed areas, namely, first, second, third, fourth and fifth recessed areas  232 - 240 . Each of the recessed areas has projecting upwardly from a bottom wall thereof a respective centrally located post  242 - 250 . The posts are of differing heights to allow a desired number of coins to be held in each of the coin tubes  36 . A skirt  252  depends from a front edge of the bottom wall  230 . A pair of stems  254  project away from opposing sides of the skirt. Centrally positioned in the skirt is a depressed area  256 . Extending upwardly from the bottom wall  230  and positioned rearwardly of the recessed areas  232 - 240  is a plateau  258 . Located in the plateau are a pair of recessed areas  260 . The plateau also includes a scalloped front edge  262  which is meant to accommodate portions of the several coin tubes  36 . A rear edge  264  of the bottom wall  230  includes a pair of cut-outs  266 . 
     As best illustrated in FIG. 7B, an axle  268  extends into each cut-out. A roller  270  is mounted on each of the axles  268 . The rollers  270  are trapped between edges  173  of the flanges  172  and the overhangs  194  of the ramp  12  when the coin tube base  32  is mounted in the drawer  30 . As the drawer  30  is extended and retracted, the coin tube base  32  pivots in relation to the drawer, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. To this end, the stems  254  on the coin tube base  32  are mounted in sockets  272  (FIG. 7A) defined on the inner surface of the drawer front wall  216 . A forward tipping of the coin tube base  32  is limited by the overhangs  194 . The coin tube base is guided in its tipping motion by the rollers  270  moving between the flange edges  173  and the overhangs  194 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 11, the support wall  34  includes a scalloped front surface  280  which is meant to accommodate the varying diameters of the several coin tubes  36 . A bottom edge  282  of the support wall  280  includes a pair of tabs  284 . The tabs  284  mount in slots  286  in flanges  288  positioned on a rear surface  290  of each wing  292  of the coin tube base  32 , as shown in FIG.  10 . The support wall  280  also includes a top wall  294 . Positioned in the top wall are a pair of apertures  296  which lead to posts  298 . The posts  298  mount into the recessed areas  260  of the coin tube base plateau  258 . The fasteners  35  (FIG. 1A) secure the posts  298  of the support wall  34  to the coin tube base  32 . A raised section  300  is located at one end of the top wall  294 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 12, the back housing  14  comprises a rear wall  310  and first and second side walls  312  and  314 . Positioning ribs  316  are located on the rear wall for mounting a rear edge  318  of the overflow container  20  illustrated in FIG.  1 B. Also provided on the rear wall are a pair of sockets  320  (only one of which is visible) for accommodating a pair of tabs  322  (FIG. 1C) on the wheel housing  60 . Extending from a lower edge of the back housing rear wall is a fastener mount  324 . Positioned adjacent a top end of the back housing rear wall  310  is the battery compartment  19 . The coin overflow removal opening  24  is provided in both the rear wall  310  and the first side wall  312 . Also located on the first side wall  312  is a fastener mount  326  and a pair of spaced positioning ribs  328  as well as a tubular socket  330 . The positioning ribs hold tabs  332  (FIG. 1C) of the cover  66  between them. The socket  330  accommodates a stem  334  extending from the front wall  40 . The first side wall  312  also includes a tapered top edge  336  which accommodates a bottom edge  338  of the funnel  68  illustrated in FIG.  1 B. It should be apparent that the second side wall  314  has a design similar to the first side wall with the exception that there is no coin overflow opening, such as opening  24 , located in the second side wall. 
     The separating wheel  62 , the wheel housing  60 , as well as the coin slide  64 , coin tube base  32 , support wall  34  and drawer  30  can all be manufactured from suitable conventional plastic material. Alternatively, the separating wheel and the wheel housing can be formed of a conventional metal. Whatever material is used should be resistant to scratching by the coins being separated and sorted. Similarly, the base  10 , back housing  14  and front wall  40  as well as the funnel  68  and cover  66  can also be manufactured from a suitable conventional plastic or metal material. 
     The operation of the coin sorter according to the present invention is as follows: as coins are dropped into the funnel  68 , they will fall through an aperture  160  at the center thereof and fall through the hopper  66  and onto the sorting wheel  62 . As the motor  44  rotates the gears  46  in the gear train, the gears will cause the separating wheel  62  to rotate in a clockwise direction. The coins, thus being held in the cover or hopper  66 , are then moved and fall into respective ones of a plurality of apertures  82  in the separating wheel  62 . As an aperture of the wheel travels over the several increasingly larger sized apertures  114  in the wheel housing  60 , each coin being held will fall through the correctly sized opening and fall onto the associated one of the coin sliding surfaces  140 - 148 . The coins will then travel down the slide and fall through the associated ones of the apertures  152   a - 152   e . The coins will then fall into a respective one of the coin containers  36  and be stacked therein. 
     After the coin sorting process is done, and when it is desired to remove the coins which have been sorted, the drawer  30  is pulled forwardly out of its retracted position and into its extended position. During this process, the coin tubes will be moved away from an angled orientation to an approximately upright orientation as may be seen by comparing FIG. 5, in which the coin tubes assume an acute angle in relation to a vertical axis, to FIG.  6 . During the first part of this motion, the coin tubes will remain in their angled orientation as the rollers  270  travel along the first section  196  of the roller overhang areas  194  illustrated in FIG.  7 . This is illustrated in dotted outline in FIG.  5 . During the second part of the motion, however, the rollers  270  will travel up the flanges  172  and below the second section  198  of the roller overhang areas  194 . During this time, the coin tube base  32  will pivot as the stems  254  of the coin tube base  32  rotate in the sockets  272  of the drawer  30 . Finally, the rollers reach the third sections  200  of the roller overhang areas  194  as the extended position of the drawer is reached. 
     At this time, the coin tubes will have reached an approximately upright configuration. In fact, the coin tubes are preferably tilted forward somewhat for ease of removal as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6. It should be recognized, however, that the orientation of the coin tubes would not need to change at all if the drawer could be pulled sufficiently far out of the base. The benefit of changing the orientation of the coin tubes is that the distance between the retracted and extended positions of the drawer can be reduced while maintaining ease of removability of the coin tubes. Now, the coin tubes  36  can be removed from the coin tube base  32  and inverted in order to remove the coins held therein. 
     With reference now to FIG. 13, the coin slide  64  comprises a set of tube sections  350   a - 350   e , one located beneath each of the apertures  152   a - 152   e . In this way, coins which fall through the apertures will fall into a respective one of the tube sections  350   a - 350   e . Positioned in a front wall of each tube section is a respective overflow aperture  352   a - 352   e . Located beneath the tube sections  350  are respective collar sections  354   a - 354   e . The collar sections have a somewhat larger diameter than do the tube sections and are spaced forwardly therefrom to define a scalloped abutment wall  356 . It is apparent from FIG. 14 that the collar sections  354   a - 354   e  protrude from the tube sections  350   a - 350   e.    
     With reference now also to FIG. 15, each tube section  350  overlies a respective one of the tubes  36 . To this end, the tube section  350   a - 350   e  are of varying diameters to align with the varying diameter tubes  36  and accommodate coins of differing diameters. The smallest diameter one of the coin tubes  36  and tube sections  350   a  are illustrated in FIG. 15, it being appreciated that the remaining tube section and coin tubes have an identical relationship. When coins have completely filled the coin tube  36 , they will accumulate in the tube section  350  until a top-most one of the coins is aligned with the overflow aperture  352   a . At this point, due to the angle at which the coins are held, the force of gravity will urge an overflow coin  360  to slide out through the overflow aperture  352   a . This coin will fall into the overflow tray  20  illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 4. 
     However, several coins, termed reservoir coins  362 , are trapped in the tube section  350   a  between an upper edge of the coin tube  36  and the overflow aperture  352   a . This portion of the coin tube section  350   a  functions as a reservoir  364 . The reservoir holds anywhere from one to five, and preferably three, reservoir coins  362 . In order for the reservoir to function correctly, the distance between the top edge of the coin tube and the bottom edge of the tube section has to be thinner than the thickness of the coin meant to be accommodated in the coin tube. This relationship is illustrated in FIG.  15 . When the drawer  30  is slid forwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 16, the reservoir  364  is emptied and the reservoir coins  362  are allowed to fall out and into the overflow tray  20 . However, the coins  368  in the coin tube will remain in place. 
     The purpose for the reservoir is to stabilize the stack of coins, enable a correct stacking thereof and prevent a skip-off of coins. Moreover, the reservoir allows for a precise count of coins in the coin tube  36 . In other words, misalignment of coins in the coin tube  36  is prevented by allowing the stack of coins to build up higher than the top of the coin tube. However, as the coin tubes are moved away from their sorting position, the reservoir  364  is emptied and a coin tube having the exact desired number of coins can be removed from the coin sorter. 
     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.