Abstract:
A coin dispensing and storing device includes a coin distributing body ( 10 ), coin collecting tubes ( 20 ), a left rotatable support ( 30 ), a pivotal plate ( 40 ) and a right rotatable support ( 50 ). Coins are received in the coin collecting tubes ( 20 ) respectively. The left rotatable support ( 30 ) is pivotally connected to one side of the coin distributing body ( 10 ). The left rotatable support ( 30 ) allows a portion of the coin collecting tubes ( 20 ) to be disposed therein. The pivotal plate ( 40 ) is pivotally connected to the other side of the coin distributing body ( 10 ). The right rotatable support ( 50 ) is connected to the pivotal plate ( 40 ). The right rotatable support ( 50 ) allows the remaining portion of the coin collecting tubes ( 20 ) to be disposed therein. The left rotatable support ( 30 ) and the right rotatable support ( 50 ) can be pivotally received in the coin distributing body ( 10 ) or rotated to the outside of the coin distributing body ( 10 ). With this arrangement, the operation is labor-saving. Further, the force exerting on the respective rotatable supports can be distributed efficiently to reduce the generation of damage and deformation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a coin dispensing and storing device, and in particular to a coin dispensing and storing device in which a left rotatable support and a right rotatable support are provided separately. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     There are many kinds of coin dispensing and storing devices in the market, in which a plurality of coin collecting tubes are provided. The sizes (diameters) of the coin collecting tubes are designed to correspond to the diameters of different coins, thereby storing various coins. For example, in a coin-operated ticket machine, coin exchanger or vending machine in MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station or railroad station, such a coin dispensing and storing device is used. An operator opens the coin dispensing and storing device periodically to replace nearly full coin collecting tubes with the empty ones, thereby maintaining the normal operation of the ticket machine, coin exchanger or vending machine. 
       FIG. 1  shows a prior art of a coin dispensing and storing device, which includes a casing  100   a , coin storage cassettes  106   a , a front support  132   a  and a rear support  134   a . A plurality of coin collecting tubes (six shown in this figure) is disposed in the front support  132   a  and the rear support  134   a  respectively. The coin storage cassettes  106   a  containing the front support  132   a  and the rear support  134   a  are pivotally connected to the casing  100   a  by means of a swing-arm hinge  124   a .  FIG. 1  shows that the coin storage cassette  106   a  pivots outwards to depart from the casing  100   a . The front support  132   a  and the rear support  134   a  are separated from each other by means of a pivot  126   a . Further, a coin-exiting path  136   a  is defined between the front support  132   a  and the rear support  134   a  for allowing coins to be exited from the casing  100   a.    
     However, in practice, such a coin dispensing and storing device still has some drawbacks. Since the coin storage cassette contains a plurality of coin collecting tubes, the total weight of the coin storage cassette is so large when these coin collecting tubes are full of coins. As a result, the swing-arm hinge  124   a  and the pivot  126   a  are subjected to a large stress. Not only the operator has to exert a relatively large force to open the coin storage cassette  106   a , but also the swing-arm hinge  124   a  and the pivot  126   a  may suffer damage and deformation very easily after a long period of time. Thus, the normal operation and lifetime of the coin dispensing and storing device are affected negatively. 
     Therefore, it is an important issue for the present Inventor to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide a coin dispensing and storing device, in which the coin collecting tubes are supported by different rotatable supports. Thus, not only the operation is labor-saving, but also the force exerting on the respective rotatable supports can be distributed efficiently to reduce the generation of damage and deformation. 
     The present invention is to provide a coin dispensing and storing device, which includes a coin distributing body, a plurality of coin collecting tubes, a left rotatable support, a pivotal plate and a right rotatable support. The coins are received in the coin collecting tubes. The left rotatable support is pivotally connected to one side of the coin distributing body. The left rotatable support allows a portion of the coin collecting tubes to be disposed therein. The pivotal plate is pivotally connected to the other side of the coin distributing body. The right rotatable support is connected to the pivotal plate. The right rotatable support allows the remaining portion of the coin collecting tubes to be disposed therein. The left rotatable support and the right rotatable support can be pivotally received in the coin distributing body or rotated to the outside of the coin distributing body. 
     The present invention provides a coin dispensing and storing device, which includes a coin distributing body, a plurality of coin collecting tubes, a left rotatable support and a right rotatable support. The coins are received in the coin collecting tubes. The left rotatable support is pivotally connected to one side of the coin distributing body. The left rotatable support allows a portion of the coin collecting tubes to be disposed therein. The right rotatable support is pivotally connected to the other side of the coin distributing body. The right rotatable support allows the remaining portion of the coin collecting tubes to be disposed therein. The left rotatable support and the right rotatable support can be pivotally received in the coin distributing body or rotated to the outside of the coin distributing body. 
     In comparison with prior art, the present invention has advantageous features as follows. Since the coin collecting tubes are disposed in the left rotatable support and the right rotatable support respectively, the force exerted on each of the rotatable support and the associated pivots can be distributed, so that the rotatable supports and the pivots of the coin dispensing and storing device do not suffer damage easily and thus their lifetimes can be extended. Also, the operation is labor-saving. On the other hand, with the combination of the pivotal plate and the right rotatable support, the volume of the coin dispensing and storing device can be reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view showing the prior art of a coin storage device; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective showing the lifting means and the coin dispenser of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a partially enlarged view showing that the lifting means installed in the coin dispenser of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view (I) showing the action of the lifting means of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view (II) showing the action of the lifting means of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing the outward rotation of the left rotatable support of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing the outward rotation of the right rotatable support of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the present invention after both the left and right rotatable supports are rotated outwards. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The characteristics and technical contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the present invention. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . The present invention provides coin dispensing and storing device, which includes a coin distributing body  10 , six coin collecting tubes  20 , a left rotatable support  30 , a pivotal plate  40  and a right rotatable support  50 . 
     The coin distributing body  10  comprises an outer frame  11  and a coin dispenser  15 . The outer frame  11  is enclosed by a plurality of surrounding plates  110  and thus is substantially formed into a rectangular shape. The inner wall of the left-side surrounding plate  110  is provided with two first pivotal holders  11 . The inner wall of the right-side surrounding plate  110  is connected with two first pivotal shafts  112 . Further, the middle section and the bottom section of the right-side surrounding plate  110  are provided with two positioning notches  113 . The bottom section of the right-side surrounding plate  110  is provided with a V-shaped guiding slot  114  and an elastic piece  115  ( FIG. 3 ). The guiding slot  114  beneath the elastic piece  115  is formed with a locking protrusion  116  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     The coin dispenser  15  is mounted in the outer frame  11  and it comprises an inner frame  150 , a coin hopper  151  fixed to the upside of the inner frame  150  for receiving coins, a coin distributing module  152  for distributing the coins received by the coin hopper  151 , and an accommodating space  153  formed below the coin distributing module  152 . Both sides of the bottom of the inner frame  150  are provided with a shaft hole  154  respectively in the transverse direction of the coin dispensing and storing device. On the front and rear sides of the shaft hole  154 , the inner frame  150  is provided with a notch  155  and a through-hole  156  respectively ( FIG. 5 ). The front surface of the inner frame  150  is formed at its bottom with an inner slot  157 . Further, the inner frame  150  is provided with a through-hole  158  near the notch  155 . 
     Each of the coin collecting tubes  20  is formed into a hollow cylinder, in which a stack of coins can be received. The size of each coin collecting tube  20  corresponds to the coin diameter of a certain denomination. With a plurality of coin collecting tubes  20  of different sizes, coins of different denominations can be received. 
     The left rotatable support  30  is connected with two second pivotal shafts  31 . The two second pivotal shafts  31  penetrate the two first pivotal holders  111  respectively on the left side of the outer frame  11 . The left rotatable support  30  is provided with a plurality of elongate troughs  32  (four in the present embodiment). The profile of each of the elongate troughs  32  is substantially formed into a semi-circular shape for allowing a coin collecting tube  20  to be detachably assembled in the elongate trough  32 . Further, in the present embodiment, when the left rotatable support  30  is closed, it is located outside the right rotatable support  50 . Therefore, the coin-exiting path  33  is located in the left rotatable support  30  and outside the coin collecting tubes  20 . With this arrangement, the coins can be exited to the outside of the coin distributing body  10  easily without interfering with the opening and closing of the left rotatable support  30  and the right rotatable support  50 . Of course, the coin-exiting path  33  may not be located in the left rotatable support  30  only and its location can be changed according to practical demands. Further, one end of the left rotatable support  30  away from the second pivotal shaft  31  is provided with two positioning posts  34 . The positioning posts  34  can be inserted into the positioning notches  113  for positioning. Moreover, the left and right sides of the bottom of the left rotatable support  30  are provided with a first abutting rod  35 . The first abutting rod  35  is located in the notch  155  of the inner frame  150 . 
     The front side of the pivotal plate  40  is provided with two third pivotal shafts  41 , and the rear side thereof is provided with two semi-circular second pivotal holders  42 . The two second pivotal holders  42  are pivotally connected to the first pivotal shafts  112  on the right side of the outer frame  11 . Further, the underside of the second pivotal holder  42  of the pivotal plate  40  is connected with a second abutting rod  43 . The second abutting rod  43  penetrates the through-hole  156  of the inner frame  150 . 
     One side of the right rotatable support  50  adjacent to the pivotal plate  40  is formed with two third pivotal holders  51 . The two third pivotal holders  51  allow the third pivotal shafts  41  to be penetrated therein. With this arrangement, when the pivotal plate  40  causes the right rotatable support  50  to be received in the accommodating space  153 , the right rotatable support  50  can rotate with respect to the pivotal plate  40  to form a substantially right angle there between, so that the right rotatable support  50  can abut the rear portion of the inner wall of the outer frame  11  ( FIG. 4 ). Further, the right rotatable support  50  is also provided with a plurality of elongate troughs  52  (two in the present embodiments). The profile  52  of each elongate trough  52  is substantially formed into a semi-circular shape, in which a coin collecting tube  20  can be detachably assembled. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The coin dispensing and storing device of the present invention further includes a lifting means  60 , which includes a handle  61 , a pair of shaft rods  62 , a pair of front lifting cams  63  and a pair of torsion springs  64 . The handle  61  is flat and elongate, and it is connected to the inner slot  157 . The shaft rods  62  penetrate the through-holes  158  and then are fixed to the left and right ends of the handle  61  respectively, so that the handle  61  can be swung with respect to the inner frame  150 . Each of the front lifting cams  63  are fixedly connected to one end of the shaft rod  62  away from the handle  61 . The shaft rod  62  penetrates the torsion spring  64 . Both ends of the torsion spring  64  abut the inner frame  150  and the handle  61  respectively, whereby the handle  61  can return to its original position by means of the elastic forces of the torsion springs  64  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     The front lifting cam  63  is located to face the first abutting rod  35  of the left rotatable support  30 . The upward swinging action of the handle  61  causes each front lifting cam  63  to lift the first abutting rod  35 , whereby the positioning posts  34  of the left rotatable support  30  can be removed from the positioning notches  113  of the outer frame  11 . Further, in the present embodiment, the lifting means  60  further comprises a connecting arm  65  and a rear lifting cam  66 . The connecting arm  65  is pivotally connected to the front lifting cam  63  on the right side of the inner frame  150 . The rear lifting cam  66  is pivotally connected to the shaft hole  154  of the inner frame  150  and the connecting arm  65 , and it is located to correspond to the through-hole  156  of the inner frame  150  and the second abutting rod  43  of the pivotal plate  40 . The upward swinging actions of the handle  61  and the front lifting cam  63  cause the rear lifting cam  66  to lift the second abutting rod  43 . Further, in the present embodiment, the connecting arm  65  is formed with a post  651  that can be received in the guiding slot  114  of the outer frame  11  ( FIG. 7 ). With the deformation of the elastic piece  115  and the stopping action exerted by the locking protrusion  116  to the post  651 , the effect of locking and positioning the left and right rotatable supports can be achieved. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 7 to 11 . When the operator intends to open the coin dispensing and storing device, the operator first grips the handle  61  and exerts a force to make the handle  61  to swing by using the shaft rod  62  as the center of rotation, whereby both of the front lifting cams  63  can rotate upwards. At this time, the front lifting cams  63  lift the first abutting rods  35 , so that the positioning posts  34  of the left rotatable support  30  can be removed from the positioning notches  113  of the outer frame  11  ( FIG. 3 ). Then, since the right side of the left rotatable support  30  has been removed from the outer frame  11 , the left rotatable support  30  can be swung outwards to leave the accommodating space  153  of the inner frame  150  by using the second pivotal shaft  31  as the center of rotation ( FIGS. 9 and 11 ). Similarly, with the combination of the connecting arm  65  and the rear lifting cam  66 , the upward rotation of the front lifting cam  63  causes the connecting arm  65  to move and makes the rear lifting cam  66  to lift the second abutting rod  43 . In this way, the pivotal plate  40  and the right rotatable support  50  are lifted from the inner frame  150 . At this time, the right rotatable support  50  can be swung outwards with respect to the pivotal plate  40  and the outer frame  11 , so that the right rotatable support  50  can be swung outwards from the accommodating space  153  of the inner frame  150  ( FIG. 10 ). 
     Further, since the surrounding plate  110  of the outer frame  11  is provided with the guiding slot  114 , the elastic piece  115  and the locking protrusion  116 , the traveling path of the connecting arm  65  is restricted by its post  651  sliding in the guiding slot  114 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 8 , when the handle  61  is swung to the lowest location, it can be positioned because the locking protrusion  116  applies a stopping action to the post  651 . Thus, the respective coin collecting tubes  20  can be removed from the left rotatable support  30  and the right rotatable support  50  easily. On the other hand, after the respective coin collecting tubes  20  are installed into the left rotatable support  30  and the right rotatable support  50 , and the right rotatable support  50  is pushed into the accommodating space  153 , the operator can push the handle  61  back, so that the post  651  can pass through the locking protrusion  116  by means of the elastic deformation of the elastic piece  115  and move along the guiding slot  114  to return to its original position. At this time, the left rotatable support  30  and the right rotatable support  50  are restricted and positioned again by the outer frame  11  or the inner frame  150 . 
     Further, the present invention has another embodiment, which is substantially identical to the previous embodiment in structure. For simplicity, the redundant description is omitted and only the difference there between is explained. The third shaft holders  51  of the right rotatable support  50  are pivotally connected to the pivotal shafts  112  on the right side of the outer frame  11  (not shown). At this time, the right rotatable support  50  rotates outwards or inwards directly with respect to the outer frame  11 . Such an arrangement can be adopted based on the type of the coin dispensing and storing device. Also, the present embodiment has the same effect as that of the previous embodiment. 
     According to the above, the coin dispensing and storing device according to the present invention really demonstrates industrial applicability, novelty and inventive steps. Further, the structure of the present invention has not been seen in product of the same kind or let in public use. Thus, the present invention conforms to the requirements for a utility model patent.