Abstract:
A coin or token image acquiring apparatus includes a coin moving unit for receiving coins in a sequential manner and translating each coin to a predetermined station. A time sensor unit detects the position of the respective coins in the coin moving unit and provides a timing signal that can activate an image apparatus unit positioned at the predetermined station. A light emitting apparatus is positioned to illuminate the coin face at the predetermined station so that the image apparatus can capture an illuminated image of the face of the coin. A storage unit can store a reference image of an authenticated coin image where by a comparator unit can compare the captured image of the coin with the authenticated coin image to provide an authenticated output signal when the respective image is matched. A separator unit can separate false coins from authenticated coins.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a token image acquiring apparatus which can acquire an image of a token using an imaging apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to a token image acquiring apparatus which can acquire an image of a token while moving at a relatively high velocity by using a coordinated imaging apparatus. Further, the present invention relates to a medal storing and selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus which acquires an image of a moving token using an imaging apparatus to perform sorting between a real token and a fake token.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Incidentally, the term “token” used in this specification is a broad term to include coins, game tokens, medals and other members representative of value and of a shape such as a circle and a polygon that can be stored in bulk and individually separated.  
         [0005]     Japanese Laid Open Application 2004-227366 discloses a technique for, in the course of conveying a coin linearly using an advancing belt, illuminating an upper face of the coin by a light emitting apparatus, acquiring an image thereof using an imaging apparatus, and conducting a discrimination between real/fake coins based upon the image information acquired. In this conventional art, a position of the coin on the belt is detected by a sensor and a light emitting timing of the light emitting apparatus and an imaging timing of a camera are set based upon a detection signal.  
         [0006]     A second technique for, in the course of conveying a medal used in a game, is to place the medal linearly on a belt, acquire an image of a surface thereof using a camera, and conduct discrimination between real/fake by comparing the acquired image with reference image data. Subsequently, a fake medal can be removed from an advancing path to discharge the fake medal by a different coin discharging path, see JP-A-2002-358550 (FIGS. 1 to 3, Pages 2 to 4), JP-A-2006-004166 (FIGS. 1 to 4, Pages 3 to 5), and JP-A-2004-030355 (FIG. 1, Pages 4 to 6).  
         [0007]     As token dispensing apparatus become more compact and operate at higher speeds, there is need to provide token validating apparatus to address these demands.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Recently, the number of tokens that are to be subjected to a discrimination processing per unit time has significantly increased in view of industry demands in commerce and the gaming industry. In the conventional art, since tokens are placed on a conveying belt to be conveyed, the tokens are conveyed utilizing a frictional force between the tokens and the conveying belt.  
         [0009]     When the velocity of the conveying belt is increased in order to improve a token discrimination processing capacity per unit, a slippage may occur between a token and the conveying belt, which results in displacement of the token relative to the conveying belt.  
         [0010]     If light is emitted by a light emitting apparatus based upon a signal outputted when a sensor detects a token, an imaging processing by the camera is performed, and image information is taken.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, when slippage occurs between the token and the belt in a time period after the token is detected by the sensor, light is emitted late by the light emitting apparatus and before the imaging processing of the camera is performed, and inconsistency between the position of the token, and the light emission from the light emitting apparatus and the imaging processing of the camera occurs, and predetermined image information cannot be obtained. Thus a problem occurs so that accurate sorting of the token cannot be performed.  
         [0012]     A first object of the present invention is to provide a token image acquiring apparatus which can acquire accurate image information of a token without causing any positional inconsistency of the token even if a moving velocity of the token significantly increases.  
         [0013]     A second object of the present invention is to provide a compact token image acquiring apparatus suitable for play facilities.  
         [0014]     A third object of the present invention is to provide a token selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus, which can discriminate real/fake of a token based upon image information acquired by a token image acquiring apparatus to separate a token as a real token or a fake token reliably.  
         [0015]     In order to achieve the above objects, a token image acquiring apparatus is provided which images a moving token using an imaging apparatus to acquire imaged information comprising a pressing and moving member which moves at a predetermined velocity, the imaging apparatus that images tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member, and an aligning and supplying apparatus which supplies tokens to the pressing and moving member one by one.  
         [0016]     The token image acquiring apparatus further can comprise a guiding member which guides the tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member.  
         [0017]     The token image acquiring apparatus includes a timing sensor unit which detects a position of the pressing and moving member directly or indirectly, and imaging processing is performed by the imaging apparatus based upon a timing signal of the timing sensor unit.  
         [0018]     The token image acquiring apparatus includes a pressing and moving member as a portion of a rotary member.  
         [0019]     The token image acquiring apparatus further includes an imaging apparatus with a light emitting apparatus and a camera, and the light emitting apparatus and the camera emit light to perform imaging processing by the camera based upon the timing signal of the timing sensor unit.  
         [0020]     The token image acquiring apparatus includes the pressing and moving member which is thinner than a thickness of the token.  
         [0021]     A token selecting apparatus is provided with a token image acquiring apparatus which images a moving token using an imaging apparatus to acquire imaged information, comprising: a rotary member which has a pressing and moving member; a guiding member which guides tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member; an imaging apparatus which images tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member; an aligning and supplying apparatus which supplies tokens to the pressing and moving member one by one; a discriminator unit which conducts discrimination about real/fake of a token based upon information imaged by the imaging apparatus; and a separator unit which separates tokens conveyed by the rotary member to a real token outlet or a fake token outlet based upon the discrimination result in the discriminator.  
         [0022]     A token selecting apparatus is provided with a token image acquiring apparatus wherein the separator unit includes an inclined guiding face formed separate from a transportation plane including the guiding member and a deflecting member which is movable between a standby position flush with the guiding face and a deflected position which is separated from the guiding face to project into the plane.  
         [0023]     With the above configurations, a large number of stored tokens can be supplied one by one to the pressing and moving member by the aligning and supplying apparatus. While being pressed, the tokens are moved according to the movement of the pressing and moving member.  
         [0024]     The tokens pressed and moved are imaged by the imaging apparatus disposed on a transfer path at a predetermined station and image information is acquired. A moving velocity of the pressing and moving member is determined according to a rotating velocity of, for example, a motor. Accordingly, the moving velocity of a token depends on the moving velocity of the pressing and moving member and a transfer path of the tokens is determined.  
         [0025]     In other words, by controlling light emission from the light emitting apparatus of the imaging apparatus and the imaging processing timing of the imaging apparatus according to a signal based upon the position of the pressing and moving member, the light emitting apparatus can be caused to emit light reliably when a surface of a token is positioned at an imaging position and an imaging processing of the imaging apparatus can be performed. As a result, there is an advantage in that imaged information of tokens can be acquired reliably.  
         [0026]     When a token is moved along the imaging path according to pressing and moving of the pressing and moving member while being guided by the guiding member, the transfer path of the token is determined by the guiding member. Since a positional relationship between a moving token and the imaging apparatus is unambiguously determined by disposing the imaging apparatus at a predetermined position to the guiding member, there is an advantage in that the image information of the token can be obtained reliably.  
         [0027]     A timing sensor unit can, directly or indirectly, detect the position of the pressing and moving member and an imaging processing in the imaging apparatus is performed based upon a timing signal of the pressing and moving member, in other words, imaging is performed by the imaging apparatus based upon the position of the pressing and moving member. Since image information of the token is obtained based upon the position of the pressing and moving member moving together with the token, the image information of the token can be obtained reliably.  
         [0028]     When the pressing and moving member is made a portion of the rotary member, a token is pressed by the pressing and moving member according to rotation of the rotary member and is moved on an arc path. In this case, since the imaging apparatus, an outlet for a token, and the like can be disposed around the rotary member, the token image acquiring apparatus can be reduced in size, so that a small-sized and compact token image acquiring apparatus suitable for a game machine can be provided.  
         [0029]     The imaging apparatus includes a light emitting apparatus and a camera, and when the light emitting apparatus and the camera emit light and perform the imaging processing based upon a timing signal of the timing sensor unit, light is emitted by the light-emitting apparatus in the imaging apparatus based upon a position signal of the pressing and moving member moving together with the token, so that the imaging processing in the camera is performed in a linking manner with the light emission. Accordingly, since a timing gap between the position of the token and the light emitting timing of the light emitting apparatus, and the imaging processing of the camera does not occur, there is an advantage in that the image information of the token can be acquired reliably.  
         [0030]     When the thickness of the pressing and moving member is thinner than the thickness of the token, after light from the light emitting apparatus passes through the token, it reaches the pressing and moving member, so that the token is prevented from shading the pressing and moving member.  
         [0031]     The image information of a token surface can be acquired without being influenced by the pressing and moving member, and the image information of the token can be accurately and reliably acquired.  
         [0032]     When a token selecting apparatus can be provided with a token image acquiring apparatus which images a moving token using an imaging apparatus to acquire imaged information. The token image acquiring apparatus can be configured to include: a rotary member which has a pressing and moving member; a guiding member which guides tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member; an imaging apparatus which images the tokens pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member; an aligning and supplying apparatus which supplies tokens to the pressing and moving member one by one; a discriminator unit which conducts discrimination about real/fake of a token based upon information image by the imaging apparatus; and a separator unit which separates tokens conveyed by the rotary member to a real token path or a fake token path based upon the discrimination result in the discriminator unit, therefore many tokens can be supplied to a transfer path of the pressing and moving member of the rotary member by the aligning and supplying apparatus one by one.  
         [0033]     Then the tokens are pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member of the rotary member to be moved while being guided by the guiding member. The token pressed and moved is imaged by the imaging apparatus disposed on the transfer path and image information is acquired.  
         [0034]     A rotating velocity of the rotary member is determined according to a rotating velocity of, for example, a motor. Accordingly, the moving velocity of the token depends on the rotating velocity of the rotary member. The transfer path of the tokens is unambiguously determined by the guiding member to be guided.  
         [0035]     In other words, the imaging apparatus is disposed at a predetermined position to the guiding member, and the token can be imaged reliably by controlling light emission of the light emitting apparatus in the imaging apparatus and an imaging processing of the camera based upon the rotation position of the rotary member, so that imaged information of the token can be acquired reliably.  
         [0036]     Real/fakeness of the token can be discriminated by the discriminator based upon the image information acquired by the imaging apparatus. The imaged token reaches the separator unit. The separator unit performs switching of a real token path or a fake token path based upon the discrimination result in the discriminator unit. Accordingly, since a real token is guided to the real token path and a fake token is guided to the fake token path, separating the token to the proper path can be performed.  
         [0037]     When the separator unit includes an inclined guiding face formed to separate from a transporting token plane including the guiding member and a deflecting member which can be positioned between a standby position flush with the guiding face and a deflected position which is separated from the guiding face to project into the plane, a token is fed out in a predetermined direction at a high velocity by the rotary member, so that the token is advanced approximately horizontally.  
         [0038]     Accordingly, since the token does not move along the inclined guiding face, in the case of the real token, the deflecting plate does not contact with the token, so that damage of the deflecting plate due to collision of the token at a high velocity can be prevented. In the case of the fake token, the deflecting plate advances into the advancing path of the token to guide the fake token to the fake token path. Thereby, tokens can be correctly selected to be a real token and or a fake token based upon the image information acquired from the tokens, and a service life of the deflecting plate can be extended. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]     The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0040]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a token selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the token selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0042]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the token selecting apparatus, taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0043]      FIG. 4  is a mechanism explanatory view of the token selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the token selecting apparatus, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a control apparatus of the token selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0046]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention which set forth the best modes contemplated to carry out the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.  
         [0047]     The terminology “coin” as used in the present invention includes medallions, tokens, and other articles in addition to monetary coins that can be stored in bulk and dispensed through a guide passageway.  
         [0048]     A token selecting apparatus  102  provided with a token image acquiring apparatus  100  has a function of imaging patterns from the face surfaces of many tokens  104  using an imaging apparatus  106  to acquire image information, thereby enabling a determination as to real/fakeness status of the tokens based upon the image information, and sorting the tokens as real tokens or fake tokens based upon the determination result using a separator unit  108 .  
         [0049]     The token image acquiring apparatus  100  will be first explained. After the token image acquiring apparatus  100  has a function of, after a token aligning and supplying apparatus separates bulk tokens  104  into single tokens, imaging the tokens  104  using the imaging apparatus  106  in the course of positively pressing and moving the tokens  104  using a pressing and moving member  162  to be described later. The token image acquiring apparatus  100  includes at least an aligning and supplying apparatus  110  which separates bulk tokens  104  into respective tokens to supply them to a next step, a pressing and moving apparatus  112  that presses and moves the tokens  104  separated by the aligning and supplying apparatus  110 , and the imaging apparatus  106 .  
         [0050]     Next, the token aligning and supplying apparatus  110  will be explained. The aligning and supplying apparatus  110  has a function of separating tokens  104  stored in bulk into respective individual pieces to feed them to an imaging stage. Accordingly, the aligning and supplying apparatus  110  may be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function.  
         [0051]     The aligning and supplying apparatus  110  in the preferred embodiment has a function of separating tokens  104  from a bulk state into individual tokens to feed them sequentially to the pressing and moving apparatus  112  at the next step and includes a vertical cylindrical storing bowl  120  and a feeding-out apparatus  122  positioned at the bottom of the storing bowl  120 . The storing bowl  120  is formed in a vertical cylindrical shape as a whole, an upper portion thereof is approximately rectangular, and the storing bowl  120  has a receiving opening  124  at an upper end thereof, and it has a circular hole  126  at a lower end thereof. The storing bowl  120  has a function of storing many tokens  104  in a bulk state, and it is attachably/detachably attached to an upper face of a base  132  described below.  
         [0052]     Next, the feeding-out apparatus  122  will be explained. The feeding-out apparatus  122  has a function of separating stored bulk tokens  104  stored in the storing bowl  120  into respective individual pieces to feed them out.  
         [0053]     The feeding-out apparatus  122  in the preferred embodiment is a rotary disk  130  having a plurality of through-holes  128  and having a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the token  104 .  
         [0054]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the rotary disk  130  is disposed inside a first circular recessed portion  134  formed on an upper face of the base  132  positioned below the storing bowl  120 , and it is rotated in a clockwise direction in  FIG. 1  by an electric motor  136  fixed on the base  132  via reduction gears and a first rotating shaft  140 . The rotary disk  130  has a convex-shape stirrer  142  at the center thereof, and it is disposed concentrically with the circular hole  126  of the storing bowl  120  in the first circular recessed portion  134  of the storing bowl  104 . The rotary disk  130  has a pressing protrusion  144  on a back face of a rib between through-holes  128 . The tokens  104  which have dropped in the through-hole  128  are supported on a base face  146  of the first circular recessed portion  134 , and they are pressed by the pressing protrusion  144  according to rotation of the rotary disk  130  to move together with the rotary disk  130  while being guided by a peripheral face  148  of the first circular recessed portion  134 .  
         [0055]     The tokens  104  project from the base face  146  to be guided in a peripheral direction of the rotary disk  130  by restricting pins  150 ,  152  positioned on a transfer path for the token  104 , see  FIG. 4 . The tokens  104  which have been guided in the peripheral direction pass through a return-preventing apparatus  154  to be separated and fed into the pressing and moving apparatus  112  via a communication path  156  one by one.  
         [0056]     The return-preventing apparatus  154  is disposed adjacent to the rotary disk  130  and it has a function of preventing the tokens, which have been fed out, from being returned back to the side of the feeding-out apparatus  122 . Accordingly, the return-preventing apparatus  154  can be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function, and a configuration where the return-preventing apparatus  154  is not disposed unless it is required can be adopted. The return-preventing apparatus  154  is composed of a stationary roller  158  and a moving roller  160  in the embodiment. The moving roller  160  is resiliently biased to approach the stationary roller  158  by a spring (not shown).  
         [0057]     In the case of a standby state where no token  104  passes through the return-preventing apparatus  154 , a distance between the stationary roller  158  and the moving roller  160  is kept to be a gap narrower than the diameter of the token  104 . In the case where the token  104  passes through the return-preventing apparatus  154 , the moving roller  160  is moved by the token  104 , and after the diametrical portion of the token  104  passes through the return-preventing apparatus  154 , the return-preventing apparatus  154  is resiliently returned back to the standby state by the spring. Thereby, when the token  104  is returned back to the side of the feeding-out apparatus  122 , the moving roller  160  must be resiliently moved against the moving roller  160 , so that a returning movement is restricted.  
         [0058]     Next, the pressing and moving apparatus  112  will be explained. The pressing and moving apparatus  112  has a function of positively pressing and moving the tokens  104  fed out of the feeding-out apparatus  122 , one by one, in a predetermined direction. Accordingly, the pressing and moving apparatus  112  can be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function. The pressing and moving apparatus  112  in the embodiment includes a pressing and moving member  162  and a guiding member  164 .  
         [0059]     First, the pressing and moving member  162  will be explained. The pressing and moving member  162  has a function of forcibly pressing and moving the tokens  104  moving in the predetermined direction at a predetermined velocity and fed out of the aligning and supplying apparatus  110  one by one. The pressing and moving member  162  in the embodiment is a rotational direction front end with three propeller-shaped pressing and moving blades  168 A,  166 B,  168 C formed on a rotary member  166 . The rotary member  166  is fixed at a distal end of a rotary shaft  170 . The rotary shaft  170  is rotationally driven from the reduction gears  138  of the rotary disk  130  via a transmission apparatus  172  so as to rotate in a clockwise direction in  FIG. 1  in synchronization with the rotary disk  130 .  
         [0060]     These pressing and moving blades  168 A,  166 B, and  168 C are disposed so as not to be positioned above an upper face of the token  104 . In the embodiment, this condition is satisfied by making the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  166 B, and  168 C thinner than the thickness of the token  104 . The reason is because a surface of the token  104  is prevented from being shaded by blocking light from a projector  188 , described later, by the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  166 B, and  168 C.  
         [0061]     The guiding member  164  has a function of guiding the tokens  104  pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member  162  in a predetermined direction. Accordingly the guiding member  164  can be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function. The guiding member  164  in the embodiment is a partial peripheral face  176  of a pressing and moving member circular recessed portion  174  formed in an approximately circular recessed shape.  
         [0062]     A pressing and moving member bottom face  178  of the pressing and moving member circular recessed portion  174  is formed to be flush with the base face  146  of the first circular recessed portion  134 , and it communicates with the first circular recessed portion  134  via a communication path  156 . The rotary member  166  is disposed in the pressing and moving member circular recessed portion  174  concentrically, and it is rotated in a clockwise direction in  FIG. 1  in synchronization with the rotary disk  130 .  
         [0063]     Thereby, the token  104  which has passed through the return-preventing apparatus  154  is immediately pressed by the pressing and moving member  162 , and after it is turned by about 90 degrees while sliding on the pressing and moving member bottom face  178  and while being guided by the arc-shaped peripheral face  176  of the guiding member  164 , it is fed out from an outlet  180 . A path on which the token  104  is pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member  162  is an imaging path  182 , and the imaging apparatus  106  is disposed to face the imaging path  182 .  
         [0064]     Next, the imaging apparatus  106  will be explained. The imaging apparatus  106  has a function of imaging a face of a token  104  moving on the imaging path  182  to acquire image information. Accordingly, the imaging apparatus  106  may be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function. The imaging apparatus  106  in the embodiment is fixed to a bracket  184  fixed to the base  132  such that its position can be adjusted, and it is disposed so as to image an upper face of a token  104  sliding on the pressing and moving member bottom face  178 . However, the imaging apparatus  106  can be disposed to image a lower face of the token  104 . The imaging apparatus  106  includes at least a camera  186  and a light emitting apparatus  188 , see  FIG. 6 .  
         [0065]     Next, the camera  186  will be explained. The camera  186  has a function of imaging a face of a token  104  facing the camera  186  to acquire image information of a pattern of the face. The camera  186  in the embodiment is, for example, a CCD camera, such as a type which uses a shutter and of a type which does not use a shutter, and any system can be adopted if a token  104  which is moving at a high velocity can be imaged.  
         [0066]     Next, the light emitting apparatus  188  will be explained. The light emitting apparatus  188  has a function of emitting light on a token  104  intensively. The light emitting apparatus  188  is required to have high luminance and high durability in order to image many tokens  104  which are moving at a high velocity, and it is preferable that, for example, many white LEDs are disposed so as to face a token  104 .  
         [0067]     Next, the timing sensor unit  190  in the imaging apparatus  106  will be explained. The timing sensor unit  190  has a function of outputting timing signals for setting at least an imaging timing of the camera  186  and a light emitting timing of the light emitting apparatus  188  in linkage with a token  104  which is moving. Accordingly, the timing sensor unit  190  can be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function.  
         [0068]     The timing sensor unit  190  in the embodiment outputs a timing signal by indirectly detecting a position of the pressing and moving member  162 , but it can output a timing signal by directly detecting the position of the pressing and moving member  162 , for example, directly detecting positions of the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  168 B, and  168 C. The timing sensor unit  190  in the embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , includes three time acting pieces  192 ,  194 , and  196  fixed to the rotary shaft  170  in the base  132  to correspond to the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  168 B, and  168 C and a sensor  198  for detecting these time acting pieces  192 ,  194 , and  196 . The sensor  198  is disposed to face a rotation path of the acting pieces  192 ,  194 , and  196  and it is fixed to the base  132 . The sensor  198  is a photo-electric sensor of light transmission type composed of, for example, a light emitting device and a light receiving device, and it outputs a timing signal TS when light from the light emitting device is blocked by distal ends of the acting pieces  192 ,  194 , and  196 .  
         [0069]     A position where the sensor  198  is disposed is a position just before a position suitable for imaging a face of a token  104  using the imaging apparatus  106 . Light from the light emitting device of the sensor  198  is blocked by one of the acting pieces  192 ,  194 , and  196  at the position, and the sensor  198  outputs the timing signal TS by the blocking. The light emitting apparatus  188  emits light after the timing signal TS is delayed by a predetermined time by adjusting means  200  described later. The light emitting timing is a timing suitable for imaging a whole face of a token  104  pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member  162 . The camera  186  conducts imaging processing in synchronization with light emission from the light emitting apparatus  188 .  
         [0070]     Next, a discriminator unit  202  for the image information imaged will be explained with reference to  FIG. 6 . The discriminator unit  202  has a function of converting an image imaged by the imaging apparatus  106  to image information and comparing the image information with reference image information to conduct discrimination about whether or not the token imaged is a real token or a fake token. The image data can be presented in a digital format. Accordingly, the discriminator unit  202  can be replaced with another apparatus having a similar function. The discriminator unit  202  in the embodiment includes an image information producing device  204  which produces image information from the image acquired from the imaging apparatus  106 , a comparator  208  which compares the image information from the image information producing device  204  with reference image information stored in a reference image information producing device  206 , and a discriminator circuit  210  which discriminates real/fakeness of a token  104  based upon a signal from the comparator  208  to output a real token signal or a fake token signal.  
         [0071]     Next, an operation of the above mentioned token image acquiring apparatus  100  will be explained.  
         [0072]     Tokens  104  are stored in the storing bowl  120  in their bulk state, see  FIG. 3 . The electric motor  136  is actuated and the imaging apparatus  140  is also put in a standby state based upon an actuation signal. The first rotary shaft  140  is rotated via the reduction gears  138  according to rotation of the electric motor  136 , so that the rotary disk  130  is rotated in a clockwise direction in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0073]     Simultaneously, the second rotary shaft  170  and the rotary member  166  are rotated via the transmission apparatus  172  in the clockwise direction in  FIG. 4  by the reduction gears  138  in synchronization with the rotary disk  130 .  
         [0074]     The tokens  104  in the storing bowl  120  are stirred by the stirrer  142  according to rotation of the rotary disk  130  and tokens  104  drop through the through-holes  128 . Each of the dropped tokens  104  is pressed by the pressing protrusion  144  and rotated in a clockwise direction together with the rotary disk  130  while its lower face is guided by the base face  146  and its peripheral face is guided by an inner peripheral face of the first circular recessed portion  134 .  
         [0075]     During the rotation course, the token  104  is guided in the peripheral direction of the rotary disk  130  by the restricting pins  150 ,  152 . The token  104 , as guided in the peripheral direction, moves the moving roller  160  to pass through the return-preventing apparatus  154 . The token  104  which has passed through the return-preventing apparatus  154  passes through the communication path  156  to reach the rotation path  212  of the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  168 B, and  168 C.  
         [0076]     The token  104  which has reached the rotation path  212  is immediately pressed by the pressing and moving member  162  which is an advancing direction front end of either of the pressing and moving blades  168 A,  168 B, and  168 C, and it is moved on the arc-shaped imaging path  182  while being guided by the peripheral face  176  of the pressing and moving member circular recessed portion  174 . In the movement course, since light of the sensor  198  is blocked by one of the acting pieces  198 A,  198 B, and  198 C rotating integrally with the pressing and moving member  162  just before the token  104  reaches the imaging position of the imaging apparatus  106 , the sensor  198  outputs a timing signal TS. The timing signal TS outputs a light emitting signal to the light emitting apparatus  188  of the imaging apparatus  106  and outputs an imaging signal to the camera  186  with a slight predetermined time delay as adjusted by the adjusting means  200  which can compensate for different size tokens.  
         [0077]     Thereby, when the token  104  reaches the imaging position of the camera  186 , the light emitting apparatus  188  emits light to irradiate the token  104  with intense light instantaneously and the camera  186  conducts an imaging processing to capture an image of the token. An image acquired by the camera  186  is converted to predetermined image information by the image information producing device  204  and the image information is outputted to the comparator  208 . The image information is compared with reference image information representing a real token from the reference image information producing device  206  in the comparator  208 . An output of the comparator  208  is discriminated by the discriminator  210  and the discriminator  210  outputs a real token signal or a fake token signal.  
         [0078]     As described above, the position of the pressing and moving member  162  is detected by the timing sensor  190  which directly or indirectly detects the position while the token  104  is being positively pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member  162 , the light emitting apparatus  188  is caused to emit light based upon the timing signal TS from the timing sensor  190 , and an imaging processing is performed by the camera  186 . Thereby, since any inconsistency between the position of the token  104 , and the light emitting timing of the light emitting apparatus  188  and the imaging processing of the camera  186  can be prevented, imaging can be reliably performed for each token  104 . After the token  104  which has passed through the imaging apparatus  106  is turned on the arc-shaped path of the imaging path  182  by about 90 degrees, it is fed out from the outlet  180 .  
         [0079]     Incidentally, the pressing and moving member  162  need not be formed on the rotary member  166  but it can be alternatively formed on a linear moving member (not shown). However, since other apparatus can be disposed around the imaging path  182  by forming the pressing and moving member  162  on the rotary member  166 , there is an advantage in that the whole apparatus can be reduced in size.  
         [0080]     Next, the token selecting apparatus  102  provided with the token image acquiring apparatus  100  of the present invention will be explained. Since the token selecting apparatus  102  has a configuration obtained by adding the separator unit  108  to the abovementioned token image acquiring apparatus  100 , explanation of the token image acquiring apparatus  100  is omitted.  
         [0081]     The separator unit  108  has a function of sorting tokens  104  fed out from the outlet  180  of the token image acquiring apparatus  100  to real tokens and fake tokens based upon the discrimination result in the discriminator  210  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The separator unit  108  is disposed adjacent to the outlet  180 , and is fixed to the base  132 . Separator unit  108  includes a rectangular box-shaped frame  224  a deflecting member  226 , and an actuator  228 .  
         [0082]     The frame  224  defines a path for tokens  104  and it is attached to base  132 . The frame  224  has a separating path  230  formed on extension of the outlet  180 , a real token outlet  232  formed at an end portion of the separating path  230 , a fake token path  234  which is perpendicular to the separating path  230  and extends downwardly, and a fake token outlet  236  at a lower end of the fake token path  234 .  
         [0083]     The deflecting member  226  has a function of sorting tokens  104  fed out from the outlet  180  to the real token outlet  232  or the fake token path  234 . Accordingly, the deflecting member  226  can be replaced with an alternative apparatus having a similar function.  
         [0084]     The deflecting member  226  in the shown embodiment of  FIG. 5  is formed in a plate shape and it is disposed on the separating path  230 , and an end portion thereof on the side of the real token outlet  232  is fixed to a swinging or pivoting shaft  238  rotatably pivoted to frame  224 . An output shaft of the actuator  228  is fixed to an end portion of the swinging shaft  238  projecting beyond the frame  224 .  
         [0085]     The swinging shaft  238  is disposed below a distal end of the deflecting member  226  such that an upper face of the deflecting member  226  has almost the same inclination angle as that of an inclined face  240  contiguous to the moving member bottom face  178  just before the outlet  180 . That is, the inclined face  240 , just before the outlet  180  is formed in an inclination extending downward toward the outlet  180  relative to a horizontal face including the pressing and moving member bottom face  178  of the imaging path  182 .  
         [0086]     An arrangement is made so that the upper face of the deflecting member  226  can be positioned as an extension of the downward inclined face  240 .  
         [0087]     A distal end of the deflecting member  226  is ordinarily disposed at a position on an extension line of the inclination of the inclined face  240  or at a position slightly below the extension line, and the expression “flush” including both of these states is adopted in this text. The flush position is the standby position SP of the deflecting member  226 .  
         [0088]     A token  104  fed out toward the outlet  180  at a high velocity by the pressing and moving member  162  advances approximately horizontally due to an inertial force while being guided by the pressing and moving member bottom face  178 . Thereby, the token  104  advances into the separating path  230  without being guided by the inclined face  240 .  
         [0089]     Since the distal end of the deflecting member  226  is disposed on the extension line of the inclined bottom face  240  or slightly below the extension line, it does not collide with the token  104  moving at a high velocity. Thereby, damage of the distal end of the deflecting member  226  due to collision of a real token  104  can be prevented.  
         [0090]     The deflecting member  226  can be moved to a deflecting position DP shown by a broken line according to rotation of the swinging shaft  238  in a counterclockwise direction as shown in  FIG. 5 . When the deflecting member  226  is positioned at the deflecting position DP, it projects obliquely into the separating path  230  where the token  104  moves, and the token  104  collides against the deflecting member  226  to be turned downwardly, so that the token  104  is guided into a fake token path  234 . Incidentally, the real token and the fake token can be processed in a manner reversed to the above mentioned explanation. In other words, such a configuration can be adopted that the outlet  232  is used as the fake token outlet and the outlet  236  is the real token outlet.  
         [0091]     The actuator  228  is, for example, a rotary solenoid  242 , and it is fixed to the frame  224 . When the rotary solenoid  242  is not excited, the deflecting member  226  is rotated by a built-in spring and it is held at the standby position SP via the swinging shaft  238 .  
         [0092]     When the rotary solenoid  242  is excited, the deflecting member  226  is moved to the deflected position DP.  
         [0093]     The rotary solenoid  242  is excited by a separation controller  244  based upon a fake token signal from the discriminator  210  and the timing signal TS from the timing sensor  190  to move the deflecting member  226  to the deflecting position DP, and it is demagnetized after a predetermined time period elapses to return the deflecting member  226  to the standby position SP.  
         [0094]     It is preferable that when the fake token signal continues, the rotary solenoid  242  is not demagnetized so that the deflecting member  226  is kept at the deflecting position DP. This is because any drawback due to a movement timing inconsistency of the deflecting member  226  caused by repetition of excitation and demagnetization can be prevented.  
         [0095]     The same operation of the token selecting apparatus  102  as that of the above mentioned image acquiring apparatus  100  is omitted and a different operation thereof, namely, an operation of the separator unit  108  will be explained. When a discrimination signal from the discriminator  210  is a real token signal, the rotary solenoid  242  is not excited and the deflecting member  226  is held at a standby position SP as shown by a solid line in  FIG. 5 . Since a token  104 , pressed and moved by the pressing and moving member  162 , moves at a high velocity, it is guided to the pressing and moving member bottom face  178  to advance from the outlet  180  to the separating path  230  in an approximately horizontal state thereof, and after the token  104  is propelled from the real token outlet  232 , it is stored in a real token storing portion (not shown).  
         [0096]     When a fake token signal is outputted from the discriminator  210 , the rotary solenoid  242  is excited based upon a timing signal TS from the timing sensor  190 , so that the deflecting member  226  is moved to the deflecting position DP, as shown in  FIG. 5 , before the fake token reaches the separating path  230 . Thereby, the fake token collides against the lower face of the deflecting member  226  to be deflected downwardly and it passes through the fake token path  234  to be stored in a fake token storing portion from the fake token outlet  236 . When the next token  104  is a real token, since the rotary solenoid  242  is demagnetized after a predetermined time period elapses, the deflecting member  226  is moved to return by a built-in spring to the standby position SP shown by a solid line in  FIG. 5 . Accordingly, after the real token jumps out from the real token outlet  232  without colliding against the deflecting member  226 , it is stored in the real token storing portion.  
         [0097]     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the amended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.  
         [0098]     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the amended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.