Patent Publication Number: US-7591361-B2

Title: Horizontal coin dispenser

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to currency vending and, more particularly, to a horizontal coin dispensing system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currency is often stored in tubular devices. Most commonly, a roll of coins is held in a paper tube. Occasionally, paper currency may also be stored in a tube. 
     A retail establishment typically receives rolls of coins from the bank for use in day to day operation. Typically, the rolls are stored in a safe in vertical stacks. Openings are provided at the top of the safe through which a user can insert a dipstick to determine number of rolls in each stack. This requires the user to insert the dipstick in each of a plurality of slots to determine the number of rolls in each vertical stack. The user must also know the denomination of the coin in each stack to determine the total amount of currency available in the safe. 
     Rolls of coins are dispensed in this application by opening the safe and withdrawing select rolls from within the safe. Thereafter, the dipstick must again be used to determine number of rolls in each stack, without opening the safe. Particularly, the safe is not adapted to automatically monitor the amount of currency available, both overall and in each select denomination. Likewise, there is no control for the amount of currency withdrawn and an identification of the user withdrawing the currency. 
     The present invention is directed to solving one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simple manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention there is described a horizontal coin dispensing system. 
     Broadly, a coin dispensing system comprises a drawer for supporting vertical tubes of currency. Means are provided for withdrawing tubes of currency from the drawer. A sensor senses quantity of tubes in the drawer. A control system is operatively associated with the sensor for determining quantity of currency in the drawer. 
     It is a feature of the invention that the drawer comprises a horizontal bottom wall connected to opposite side walls, and a plurality of spaced dividers between the opposite sidewalls defining a plurality of columns for receiving vertical tubes of currency. 
     It is another feature of the invention to provide a pushing plate in each column and bias means for biasing each pushing plate toward the withdrawing means. It is still another feature of the invention that the sensor comprises a sensing element for sensing position of each pushing plate. 
     It is still another feature of the invention that the withdrawing means comprises a semi-cylindrical housing for receiving a vertical tube of currency and means for rotating the housing for dispensing the vertical tube of currency. 
     It is yet another feature of the invention that the control system stores information representing value of currency in each vertical tube of currency and determines quantity of currency in the drawer responsive to the sensed quantity and the stored information. 
     There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention a coin dispensing system comprising a drawer including a bottom wall connected to opposite sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced dividers between the opposite sidewalls defining a plurality of columns for supporting vertical tubes of currency. A plurality of dispensers, one for each column, are provided each for withdrawing tubes of currency from an associated column. A plurality of sensors, one for each column, are provided each for sensing quantity of tubes in the associated column. A control system is operatively associated with the sensors for determining quantity of currency in the drawer. 
     It is a feature of the invention to provide a plurality of pushing plates, one for each column, and bias means for biasing each pushing plate toward an associated dispenser. Each sensor may comprise a sensing element for sensing position of each pushing plate. 
     It is another feature of the invention that the control system stores information representing value of currency in each vertical tube of currency in each column and determines quantity of currency in the drawer responsive to the sensed quantity and the stored information. The control system may include a display displaying quantity of vertical tubes of currency in each column and value of currency in each column. 
     It is still another feature of the invention to provide a plurality of biased pushing plates, one for each column, and each sensor comprises a magnet on one of the pushing plates and a plurality of magnet operated switches spaced along the associated column to sense position of the pushing plate. The control system comprises a resister network for each column electrically connected to the plurality of magnet operated switches for the associated column so that the voltage of the resister network varies with position of the pushing plate. The control system detects the voltage for each resister network. 
     There is disclosed in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention a coin dispensing system comprising a drawer including a bottom wall connected to opposite sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced dividers between the opposite sidewalls defining a plurality of columns for supporting vertical tubes of currency. A plurality of pushing plates, one for each column, are provided and biasing means for biasing each pushing plate forward. A magnet is provided on each of the pushing plates. A plurality of magnet operated switches are spaced along each column to sense position of the associated magnet. A plurality of impedance networks, one for each column, are each electrically connected to the plurality of magnet operated switches for the associated columns with a voltage of the impedance network varies with position of the associated pushing plate. A control system is operatively associated with the impedance network for determining quantity of currency in the drawer. 
     Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coin dispensing system in accordance with the invention mounted in a safe; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a drawer of the dispensing system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the drawer of  FIG. 2  with parts removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the drawer of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the drawer of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an electrical schematic for a sensing circuit for the coin dispensing system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a curve illustrating output voltage from the sensing circuit of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a control system for the coin dispensing system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a graphical display provided on a video monitor for the coin dispensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a coin dispensing system  10  in accordance with the invention is illustrated installed in a safe  12 . The safe  12  comprises an enclosure  14  having an interior space  16  selectively closed with a door  18 . A lock (not shown) selectively locks the door  18  in a closed position to restrict access to the interior space  16 . 
     The coin dispensing system  10  comprises a drawer  20 , a personal computer  22 , a video monitor  24  and a printer  26 . The drawer  20  is slidably received in the safe  14  with conventional sliding rails  28 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the drawer  20  comprises a bottom wall  30  connected to opposite sidewalls  32  and  34 . A back wall  36  is connected between the sidewalls  32  and  34 . Seven spaced dividers  38  are provided between the opposite sidewalls  32  and  34  to define eight columns  40  for receiving vertical tubes T of currency. A slot  42  is provided in the bottom wall for each column  40  extending from the back wall  36  forwardly to a dispenser  44 . A pushing plate  46  is provided in each column and rides in the slot  42 . The pushing plates  46  are biased, as described below, to push the tubes T forwardly toward the dispenser  44 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the horizontal coin drawer  20  is illustrated in greater detail. Parts are removed for clarity of explanation herein. A coin drawer body  50  comprises the bottom wall  30  and opposite sidewalls  32  and  34 . The bottom wall  30  includes the eight elongate slots  42  spaced from one another between the sidewalls  32  and  34 . A plurality of tube guides  52 , one for each column and one of which is shown, are mounted to the drawer body  50 . Each tube guide  52  is generally U-shaped in cross section and includes opposite sidewalls  54  and  56  connected by a bottom wall  58  having an elongate slot  60 . Each tube guide  52  is fastened to the bottom wall  30  overlying a slot  42  so that the tube guide slot  60 , which has a narrower width, is position over one of the bottom wall elongate slots  42 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . As is apparent, eight of the tube guides  52  are mounted to the drawer body  50  with the sidewalls  54  and  56  of adjacent tube guides together defining the dividers  38  shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     A tube release bar  62  extends across and atop the sidewalls  32  and  34  spaced forwardly of the rear wall  36 . A tube holder bar  66  is mounted between the sidewalls  32  and  34  forwardly of a front edge  68  of the bottom wall  30 . The tube holder bar  66  includes a plurality of slots  70 . Each slot  70  rotationally receives one of the dispensers  44 . The dispenser  44  comprises a semi-cylindrical housing  74  having a bottom wall  76 . A fastener  78  secured to the bottom wall  76  is received in the slot  70  to allow for rotation of the dispenser  44  by turning a knob  80 . Particularly, the knob  80  can be turned so that the semi-cylindrical housing  74  is open to the rear to receive a tube T and then can be rotated 180 degrees so that the tube T can be withdrawn from the dispenser  44 . 
     Each tube guide  52  slidably receives one of the pushing plates  46 . The pushing plate  46  is illustrated in two extreme positions in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The first position, represented by solid lines, shows the pushing plate  46  in the rear most position. The second illustrated position, represented by dotted lines, shows the pushing plate  46  in the forward most position. The particular position of the pushing plate  46  depends on the number of tubes T in the column  40 . The pushing plate  46  comprises a J-shaped slide member  82  having a bottom wall  84 , connecting a vertical wall  86  in turn connecting a shorter top wall  88 . The top wall  88  includes an opening  90  for selectively receiving a tool holder element  92  mounted to the tube holder release bar  62 . A retaining shaft  94  extends downwardly from the bottom wall  84 . A rear spring holder  96  also extends downwardly from the bottom wall  84  spaced from the shaft  94  opposite the vertical wall  86 . The shaft  94  and spring holder  96  extends through the slots  60  and  42 , as shown. A front spring holder  98  is mounted to the bottom wall  30  forwardly of the slot  42 . A spring  100  extends between the front spring holder  98  and the rear spring holder  96 . As such, the spring  100  biases the pushing plate  46  forwardly toward the dispenser  44 . To fill the column  40 , the pushing plate  46  is pushed to the rear most position shown in  FIG. 4 , with the tube holder  92  extending into the pusher plate top opening  90  to hold the same. Up to nine vertical tubes T can then be supported by the tube guide  52  and thus the horizontal bottom wall  30  in the column  42 . The tube holder  92  can then be lifted to release the pushing plate  46  which then biases the tubes T forwardly toward the dispenser  44 . As is apparent, as the dispenser  44  is selectively rotated by the knob  80  to withdraw a tube T, and then turned so that the opening faces rear and the pushing plate  46  pushes the tubes T forwardly. Although not specifically shown in  FIG. 3 , each column  40  is identical in construction, as is generally shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the underside of the bottom wall  30  is illustrated. A magnet  110  is slidable along each slot  42 . Particularly, each magnet  110  is operatively associated with one of the pushing plates  46 . For example, the magnet  110  may be secured to the rear spring holder  96 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , or to the shaft  94  or to the bottom plate  84 . The coin dispensing system  10  includes four circuit boards  112 ,  113 ,  114  and  115 . Each circuit board  112 - 115  is associated with two magnets  110 , and thus two columns  40 . Each column  40  is capable of holding nine coin tubes T. Each circuit board  112 - 115  is generally identical in construction and only one is described in detail herein. The circuit board  112  is of a length corresponding to length of the bottom wall  30  and a width to fit between a pair of adjacent slots  42 . The circuit board  112  includes twenty magnetic switches  116 , such as reed switches. Ten of these magnetic switches  116  are aligned in a row along one longitudinal edge. The other ten magnetic switches  116  are aligned in a row along the opposite longitudinal edge. As such, each row of magnetic switches  116  is aligned with one of the slots  42 . Each magnet  110  slides along an associated row of magnetic switches  116 , as generally shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 6 , an impedance or resistor network  118  is associated with each magnet  110 , and thus column  40 . The resistor network  118  comprises nine series connected sensing resisters R A  and a tenth series connected bias resister R B . The ten resistors are connected in series between ground and supply V CC . The ten magnetic switches  116  are each connected between ground and one of the junctions between the series connected resistors, with the last magnetic switch  116 , labeled N=9, connected between ground and the top most resistor in the network  118 . An output signal V O  is taken from the junction between the bias resister R B  and the first sensing resister R A  (N=0). 
     With the described circuit, V CC  defines the point of highest potential in the circuit. N defines the position of the pusher plate  46 , which is the same as the position of the last tube T in the column  40 , represented by the position of the magnet  110 . I defines the electrical current that crosses the series resistor network  118 . 
     The magnet  110  will be in the acting range of one of the magnetic switches  116 , labeled N=0-N=9, closing the particular switch  116  and setting the voltage at that node of the resistor network  118  equal to zero. This will effect the current I, as defined in the equation: 
             I   =     Vcc       R   A     +     N   ·     R   B                 
This will cause a voltage drop at R B , affecting the solution voltage Vo as defined by:
 V o=V   cc−I·R   B    
Replacing I on the equation above, and assuming that V (t) =Vo, since the solution voltage is a function of time, the final solution is as shown:
 
     
       
         
           
             
               V 
               
                 ( 
                 t 
                 ) 
               
             
             = 
             
               Vcc 
               - 
               
                 
                   Vcc 
                   
                     
                       R 
                       B 
                     
                     + 
                     
                       N 
                       · 
                       
                         R 
                         A 
                       
                     
                   
                 
                 · 
                 
                   R 
                   B 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     As a result, the resistor network  118  returns a voltage proportional to N, which is the position of the last tube T in the column. As such, the resistor network  118  in combination with the magnet  110  operates as a sensor for sensing quantity of tubes in the column. The preferred option for network precision is to have one different value of resistance for each resistor R A . However, two parameters should be observed when finding values for R A  and R B . First, the system will be assembled by hand, and using ten different values of resistors may elevate the assembly problems by human mistake. Second, in mass quantity purchases, the price drops dramatically for the more units of the same resistor purchased. Having ten different values would divide this price advantage by up to ten. To provide for uniformity, the sensing resistors are R A  are selected to all be of the same value. The bias resistor R B  could also be of the same value. However, the voltage increments become much smaller as N increases above four. Advantageously, the values of the solutions for N must be as far apart as possible. Therefore, the bias resister R B  is selected to have a higher value. For example, the sensing resisters R A  may be on the order of 2,200 ohms, while the bias resister R B  may be on the order of 10,000 ohms. Doing so provides a curve as illustrated in  FIG. 7  showing output voltage V o  on the vertical axis, and switch number N on the horizontal axis. As is apparent, different values could be selected. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a block diagram illustrates a control system  120  for the coin dispensing system  10 . Each of the circuit boards  112 - 115  includes two of the circuits illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The second, third and fourth boards,  113 ,  115  and  115 , include only the magnetic switches  116  and resistor networks  118  and are interconnected by a ten wire flat cable  120 . A controller  122  is operatively connected to the circuit boards  112 - 115 . Advantageously, the controller  112  may be located on the first circuit board  112 . The controller  112  senses the output voltages Vo from each of the eight resistor networks  118  to provide information to the user. 
     The controller  122  is connected to the personal computer  22  including a processor  124  and memory  126 . The memory  126  stores data and programs for operation. The processor  124  is in turn connected to the display  24  and printer  26 . 
     The personal computer  22  may include software for operating the safe  12  such as opening and closing the lock and monitoring the operation of the safe. These operations may be as described in co-pending application Ser. No. 09/982,348, filed Oct. 18, 2001, owned by the assignee of the present application, the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein. Additionally, the personal computer  22  includes software for determining quantity of currency in the drawer by communicating with the controller  122  to determine the position of each of the magnets  110 , representing number of tubes T in each column and multiplying the number with user returned data representing the value of each tube T. The personal computer  22  generates a graphic image to be displayed on the display  24 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The illustrated graphic display comprises a “virtual dipstick”. This allows the user to view the amount of tubes T loaded in the drawer  20  and edit the amount of money each tube is worth, provided the user has appropriate security rights. The illustrated display gives a quick glance at the amount of tubes loaded in the drawer  20  in each column  40  and the total value in each column  40 . At the bottom of the screen, the user has an option to print a report of loaded tubes and the option to edit the columns to identify the denomination and quantity of currency in each tube T. The edit tubes button allows the user to edit the value of money that is to be loaded in each tube. To change the value of a column, the column number is selected in a drop down menu visible after edit tubes is selected or the user can click on the column to be edited. The value of the column can be edited only if the column is empty. 
     In conjunction with the incorporated safe monitoring system, the user will use an open door screen to remove and refill the tubes T. To remove a tube, the tube T user would open the door  18  behind which is located the cash tube drawer  20  and turn the appropriate dispenser  44 . The user can remove as many tubes as needed and every transaction is recorded in the system by sensing the change in the number of tubes T. To refill the drawer  20 , the drawer  20  must be opened as shown in  FIG. 1  after opening a lock that is holding the drawer in place. 
     The present invention has been described with respect to software operation and block diagrams. It will be understood that each block of the block diagrams and the software operation can be implemented by computer program instructions. These program instructions may be provided to a processor to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the processor create means for implementing the functions specified in the blocks. The computer program instructions may be executed by a processor to cause a series of operational steps to be performed by the processor to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the processor provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the blocks. Accordingly, the illustrations support combinations of means for performing a specified function and combinations of steps for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block and combination of blocks can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     Thus, in accordance with the invention there is described a coin dispensing system which includes a drawer  20  for supporting vertical tubes T of currency. A dispenser  44  for each column  40  provides means for withdrawing tubes T from the drawer  20 . A sensor in form of magnetic switches  116  and a resistor network  118  sense quantity of tubes T in the drawer  20 . A control circuit in the form of the controller  122  and personal computer  22  determine quantity of currency in the drawer.