Abstract:
A ticket roll detection arrangement using a photo-grid wheel for synchronous rotation with the ticket roll supply reel of a ticket vending machine, and a photo transmitter receiver assembly on two sides of the photo-grid wheel to detect the revolving speed of the photo-grid wheel upon delivery of the ticket roll out of the ticket vending machine and to measure the diameter of the rest ticket roll on the ticket roll supply reel subject to the detected revolving speed of the photo-grid wheel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to ticket vending machines and, more specifically, to a ticket roll detection arrangement used in a ticket vending machine to detect the amount of the loaded ticket roll.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 8 shows the internal structure of a conventional ticket-venting machine. According to this design, the ticket vending machine comprises a frame structure A. The frame structure A comprises a base frame A 1 , an upright side frame A 2  at one lateral side of the base frame A 1 , and a reel A 21  pivoted to the upright side frame A 2  and suspended above the base frame A 1  for holding a ticket roll (not shown). This structure of ticket vending machine is not satisfactory in function because of the following drawbacks.  
           [0005]    1. The user cannot know the rest amount of the ticket roll during the use of the ticket vending machine. When the ticket roll used up, the user may have to keep clients waiting for a length of time before refurnishing of a new ticket roll.  
           [0006]    2. When pulling the lead end of the newly loaded ticket roll out of the ticket outlet A 3  of the ticket vending machine, an inertia force is produced to keep the reel A 21  rotated for a distance after the user released the hand from the lead end of the ticket roll, thereby causing a part of the ticket roll to be wrinkled or jammed in the ticket vending machine between the reel A 21  and the ticket outlet A 3 .  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention has been accomplished to provide a ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine, which detects the rest amount of the ticket roll automatically. It is another object of the present invention to provide a ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine, which eliminates the inertia effect of the ticket roll supply reel, preventing a measuring error. To achieve these and other objects and according to one aspect of the present invention, the ticket roll detection arrangement comprises rack mounted on the base frame of the frame structure of a ticket vending machine, the rack having two upright side panels; a reel supported in the upright side panels of the rack for free rotation; a ticket roll mounted on the reel; a photo-grid wheel fixedly provided at one end of the reel for synchronous rotation with the reel, and a photo transmitter receiver assembly installed in the rack of the frame structure on two sides of the photo-grid wheel and adapted to detect the revolving speed of the photo-grid wheel upon delivery of the ticket roll out of the ticket vending machine and to measure the diameter of the rest ticket roll on the reel subject to the detected revolving speed of the photo-grid wheel so as to know the actual rest amount of the ticket roll. According to another aspect of the present invention, two support frames are respectively fastened to the upright side panels of the rack, each support frame having two suspension arms adapted to support the reel in the smoothly arched top bearing notches of the rack and to prohibit the reel from producing an inertia effect. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine according to the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the ticket roll detection arrangement according to the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is an applied view of the present invention, showing the ticket roll detection arrangement installed in the ticket vending machine and a ticket roll mounted in the ticket roll detection arrangement.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a front view of the ticket roll detection arrangement before loading of the ticket roll.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a front view of the ticket roll detection arrangement during loading of the ticket roll.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a front view of the ticket roll detection arrangement after loading of the ticket roll.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a diameter-pulse chart according to the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the frame structure of a ticket vending machine according to the prior art. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    Referring to FIGS. from  1  through  3 , a ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a frame structure  1 , a ticket roll  2 , a rack  3 , a reel  4 , a photo transmitter receiver assembly  5 , and two support frames  6 .  
         [0017]    The frame structure  1  comprises a base frame  12  and a face panel  11  at the front side of the base frame  12  for output of the ticket roll  2 .  
         [0018]    The rack  3  is mounted on the base frame  12  of the frame structure  1  and spaced from the face panel  11  at a distance, comprising two opposite side panels  31 . Each side panel  31  comprises two top locating notches  33  and a smoothly arched top bearing notch  32  between the top locating notches  33 , two openings  34  below the top locating notches  33  at two sides of the smoothly arched top bearing notch  32 , two angled stop flanges  341  respectively protruded from the periphery of the openings  34  and facing each other, and a downwardly extended bottom mounting flange  35 . The smoothly arched top bearing notch  32  of each side panel  31  has a beveled guide edge  321 . One side panel  31  further comprises two outwardly extended horizontal mounting flanges  36  suspended above the respective downwardly extended bottom mounting flange  35 .  
         [0019]    The reel  4  is adapted to hold the ticket roll  2 , having a photo-grid wheel  41  at one end. The photo-grid wheel  41  has radial slits  411  equiangularly spaced around the border.  
         [0020]    The photo transmitter receiver assembly  5  comprises a circuit board  51 , two sensor elements  52  (the sensor elements  52  include a light emitting diode located on one side of the photo-grid wheel  41  for producing light that passes through the slits  411  of the photo-grid wheel  41  for generating encoded signals, and a photo-sensor located on the other side of the photo-grid wheel  41  for receiving the encoded light pulses from the light emitting diode and converting it into electrical signals), and an outer cover  53 .  
         [0021]    Each support frame  6  comprises a base  61 , two suspension arms  62  symmetrically provided on the middle of the base  61  and defining a space  64  therebetween, two guide blocks  63  respectively formed in the free ends of the suspension arms  62 , two stop edges  631  respectively formed between the suspension arms  62  and the guide blocks  63 , two top retaining blocks  611  bilaterally provided at the top side of the base  61  above the elevation of the guide blocks  63 , and two hooks  612  respectively protruded from one side of the base  61 . The diameter of the space  64  is smaller than the diameter of the smoothly arched top bearing notch  32 .  
         [0022]    Referring to FIGS.  4 ˜ 6 , the support frames  6  are respectively inserted in between the angled stop flanges  341  of each side panel  31  of the rack  3  to force the top retaining blocks  611  and the hooks  612  into engagement with the top locating notches  33  and openings  34  of the side panels  31  of the rack  3  respectively. When loaded, the space  64  of each support frame  6  and the smoothly arched top bearing notch  32  of each side panel  31  of the rack  3  are aligned in a line. Thereafter, the circuit board  51  is fixedly fastened to the outwardly extended horizontal mounting flanges  36  of the rack  3  by screws, and then the outer cover  53  is fixedly fastened to the corresponding side panel  31  of the rack  3  and covered over the circuit board  51  and the sensor elements  52 . After installation of the support frames  6  in the rack  3 , the reel  4  is mounted with a ticket roll  2  and then forced through the beveled guide edges  321  of the side panels  31  of the rack  3  into spaces  64  between the suspension arms  62  of the support frames  6 . When set into position, the stop edges  631  of the support frames  6  are respectively stopped at the periphery of the reel  4  to hold the reel  4  in place, keeping the photo-grid wheel  41  suspended between the sensor elements  52  of the photo transmitter receiver assembly  5 . When installed, the reel  4  can be rotated on its own axis in the spaces  64 .  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 7 and FIGS.  1 ˜ 3  again, as indicated above, the photo-grid wheel  41  has radial slits  411  equiangularly spaced around the border. When the ticket roll  2  pulled out of the face panel  11  of the frame structure  1  to rotate the reel  4 , the photo-grid wheel  41  is rotated with the reel  4 , the light from one of the sensor elements  52  passed through the radial slits  411  of the photo-grid wheel  41 , producing encoded light pulses, and the other of the sensor elements  52  received the encoded light pulses and converted it into electrical signals. When the diameter D of the ticket roll  2  reduced, the amount of the received light pulses within a predetermined length of time is relatively increased. Therefore, the photo transmitter receiver assembly  5  accurately measures the rest amount of the ticket roll  2 , enabling the user to refurnish the ticket roll  2  in time.  
         [0024]    As indicated above, the ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine has the advantages as follows:  
         [0025]    1. When the ticket roll  2  continuously pulled out of the ticket vending machine, the diameter of the ticket roll  2  is relatively reduced, and the revolving speed of the reel  4  and the photo-grid wheel  41  is relatively increased, therefore the photo transmitter receiver assembly  5  accurately measures the rest amount of the ticket roll  2  subject to the detected revolving speed of the photo-grid wheel  41 .  
         [0026]    2. The stop edges  631  of the support frames  6  are respectively formed between the suspension arms  62  and the guide blocks  63 , to hold the reel  4  in place and to give a damping resistance to the reel  4  during rotary motion of the reel  4 , prohibiting the reel  4  from producing an inertia effect.  
         [0027]    A prototype of ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS.  1 ˜ 7 . The ticket roll detection arrangement for ticket vending machine functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0028]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.