Patent Publication Number: US-6663675-B2

Title: Pivoting coin input tray for a coin processing device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to coin input devices for coin processing devices, and more particularly to a pivoting coin input tray for a coin processing device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally, coins are input to coin processing devices, such as coin sorters, in one of two ways. According to one approach, coins are deposited (i.e., dumped) directly by an operator into the coin processing device so that coins fall directly from the operator&#39;s control to inside the coin processing device. According to another approach, coins are first deposited into a pivotal coin tray and then the tray is pivoted upward to move the coins, which flow under the force of gravity, into the coin processing device. 
     Pivotal coin trays are constructed such that coins are inhibited from moving into the coin processing device until the coin tray is lifted. This construction allows an operator of the coin processing device to load the coin tray while a prior batch of coins is being processed by the device. One type of pivoting coin tray arrangement found in the prior art includes a pivoting coin tray disposed adjacent to a coin chute, which directs coins into the coin processing device. As the coin tray is upwardly pivoted, the coin tray funnels the coins over an upper rim of the coin chute and into the coin chute. 
     One drawback associated with this type of arrangement is that coins can become lodged in a gap between the coin tray and the coin chute. Further, depending how the coin tray pivots in relation to the coin chute, this gap can increase as the coin tray is lifted to move coins into the coin processing device. Coins can become lodged in this gap, which often results in damage to the coins and to the coin tray. Further, coins may fall through the gap. A related drawback is that these types of coin trays have very tight manufacturing tolerances so that the size of the described gap is reduced. 
     Accordingly, there exits a need for a pivoting coin tray that reduces the size of any gap between the coin tray and pivot block. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A coin input apparatus for a coin processing device comprises a coin tray pivotally coupled to the device for feeding coins into the device and a coin chute for guiding coins from the coin tray into the device. The coin tray has a corrugated surface. The coin chute has a corrugated surface for mating with the corrugated surface of the coin tray for minimizing a gap between the coin tray and the coin chute. 
    
    
     The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. Additional features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, figures, and claims set forth below. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coin processing system having a pivoting coin input tray according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  are perspective views of the coin tray of the coin processing system of FIG. 1 shown in a first coin receiving position and a second coin transferring position, respectively; 
     FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are side views of the coin tray of the coin processing system of FIG. 1 shown in a first coin receiving position and a second coin transferring position, respectively; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the coin tray of the coin processing system shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the coin tray and funnel of the coin processing system shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of a corrugated interface between the coin tray and funnel of the coin processing system shown in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the coin tray of the coin processing system of FIG. 1 showing a debris pan partially removed from a base of the coin tray. 
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments will be shown by way of example in the drawings and will be desired in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings and referring first to FIG. 1, a coin sorter  10  having a pivoting coin input tray  12  (“coin tray”) is shown. The coin tray  12  holds coins prior to inputting some or all of the coins in the coin tray  12  to the coin sorter  10 . The coin tray  12  transfers the coins by pivoting upward causing coins deposited therein to move, under the force of gravity, to a sorting mechanism (not shown) disposed within a cabinet  14 . The sorting mechanism discharges sorted coins to a plurality of coin bags (not shown), or other coin receptacles, that are suspended from the cabinet  14 , the bottoms of the bags resting upon a platform  16 . While the coin tray  12  of the present invention is shown and is discussed in connection with the coin sorter  10 , the coin tray  12  can be used with coin counters, rail-type coin sorters, coin redemption machines and other types of coin processing devices according to alternative embodiments of the present invention. 
     An operator interface  18  interacts with a controller (not shown) of the coin sorter  10 . The controller determines the coin totals during sorting, controls the termination of coin sorting (e.g., when a predetermined number of coins have been transferred to a coin bag) and calculates pertinent data regarding the sorted coins. The operator interface includes a display  20  for displaying information to an operator of the coin sorter  10  and a keypad  22  for receiving input from an operator of the coin sorter  10 . Input from an operator of the coin sorter  10  can include selection of predefined modes of operation, instructions for defining modes of operation, requests for certain output to be displayed on the display  20  and/or an optional printer (now shown), identification information such as an identification code for identifying particular transactions or batches of coins, etc. According to an alternative embodiment, the operator interface  18  comprises a touch screen type display/interface. 
     During consecutive batch sorting operations, an operator dumps coins into the coin tray  12  and inputs an identification number along with any additional data via the interface  18 . The operator then transfers the coins within the coin tray  12  to the sorting mechanism. While the coins are being sorted, the operator can dump the next batch of coins into the coin tray  12  and enter data corresponding to the next batch. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 a - 4 , an operator of the coin sorter  10  pivots the coin tray  12  between a first position for receiving coins (FIGS. 2 a  and  3   a ) and a second position for feeding coins into the coin sorter  10  (FIGS. 2 b  and  3   b ). When the coin tray  12  is in the second position, the coins flow from the coin tray  12  under the force of gravity out of the coin tray  12  and into the coin sorting mechanism of the coin sorter  10 . The coin tray  12  is pivotally coupled to the base and includes a pair of disk-shaped protrusions  23  (FIG. 5) which are received by a corresponding pair of sockets (not shown) in the base  30 , which form a hinge between the coin tray  12  and the base  30 . The base  30  mounts to the top of the cabinet  14  of the coin sorter  10 . The coin tray includes a handle  24  which the operator of the coin sorter  10  grasps when pivoting the coin tray  12  from first position to the second position and back to the first position. As the coin tray  12  is pivoted upward, coins are directed to an opening  32  of a coin chute  34  that directs the coins through an aperture (not shown) in the base to the sorting mechanism within the cabinet  14 . 
     The coin tray  12  is positioned substantially parallel to the horizontal when in the first coin receiving position. When pivoting to the second position for moving coins into the coin chute  34 , the coin tray  12  is pivoted so that a bottom  35  of the coin tray  12  is disposed at a maximum angle of about 50° with respect to the horizontal. To prevent further rotation of the coin tray  12 , the coin tray  12  includes a pair of stops  28  which contact an opposing pair of stops  28  disposed on the funnel. In other embodiments, the opposing pair of stops are disposed on the base  30 . As the coin tray  12  is pivoted, the stops  26  on the coin tray  12  contact the stops  28  of the coin chute  34 , which prohibit any further pivoting of the coin tray  12 . 
     The coin tray  12  includes a plurality of side walls including two side walls  36 , a front wall  38  and back walls having lower portions  40  and upper portions  42 , which extend upwardly from a bottom plate  35 . The two side walls  36  and a front wall  38  that are acutely angled with respect to the vertical. The two side walls  36  the front wall  38  are each angled with respect the vertical at an angle of about 15°. 
     The back walls of the coin tray  12  disposed on either side of and most proximate to the coin chute  34  and include the lower back wall portion  40  and the upper back wall portion  42 . The lower and upper walls portions  40 ,  42  form a funnel-like passage for smoothly transferring the coins to the sorting mechanism as the coin tray  12  is upwardly pivoted. The lower portions  40  are angled with respect to the vertical at an angle of about 30°. The upper portions  42  are almost vertical being angled with respect to the vertical at an angle of about 2° according to one embodiment. The lower back wall portions  40  form an angle of about 120° with the bottom plate  35 , which is substantially parallel with the horizontal when the coin tray  12  is in the first position for receiving coins. The upper back wall portions  42  form an angle of about 152° with the lower back wall portions  40 . If the back wall portions  40 ,  42  were not angled but were substantially vertical, coins may bounce off of the vertical wall and out of the coin tray  12  and not flow into the coin chute  34 . Further, coins may become “trapped” at the right angle formed by a vertical wall and the bottom plate  35 . As can be seen in FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b , the coin tray  12  fits around and pivots about the coin chute  34 . 
     According to alternative embodiments of the coin tray  12 , the slide walls  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  of the coin tray  12  can be disposed at angles other than those described. For example, the two side walls  36  and the front wall  38  can be disposed with respect to the vertical at an angle ranging from about 0° to about 45° and each need not be disposed at the same angle as each other, the bottom portion  40  of the back wall can be disposed with respect to the vertical at an angle ranging from about 15° to about 45° and the upper potions  42  of the back wall can be disposed with respect to the vertical at an angle ranging between about 0° and about 20°. In other embodiments of the coin tray  12 , the slide walls  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  are not angled as described but are curved so that, for example, the back wall upwardly curves with an increasing slope to from a funnel-like passage to the coin chute  34 . In another embodiment, the slide walls of the coin tray  12  are concave when viewing the tray from above to provide a smooth transition between the interface between the bottom  35  and the slide walls. 
     To prevent coins from entering the coin chute  34  prior to the operator lifting the coin tray  12 , a rim  39  of the coin chute  34  is disposed above the bottom plate  35 . While the coin tray is in the first coin receiving position, coins deposited in the tray  12  are preventing from entering the coin chute  34  because the coin chute  34  acts as a barrier prohibiting coins deposited in the coin tray  12  (when in the first receiving positions) from entering the opening  32  of the coin chute  34 . The coins deposited in the coin tray  12  begin to flow over the rim  13  and into the coin chute  34  as the coin tray is lifted. 
     Referring also to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the interface between the pivoting coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  is corrugated, wherein the coin tray  12  includes a plurality of corrugations  52  and the coin chute  34  includes a plurality of corresponding corrugations  54 , which receive the corrugations  52  of the coin tray  12 . The coin tray  12  includes a cutout  55  that receives the coin chute  34 . The corrugations  52 ,  54  of coin tray  12  and coin chute  34  comprise a plurality of“peaks”  56  and “valleys”  58  that mate together. The valleys  58  of the corrugations  52  of the tray  12  receive the peaks  56  of the corrugations  54  of the coin chute  34 . Likewise, the valleys  58  of the corrugations  54  of the coin chute  34  receive the peaks  56  of the corrugations  52  of the coin tray  12 . According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the corrugations  52  of the coin tray  12  and the corrugations  54  of the coin chute  34  are mated (i.e., peaks extending into valleys) to varying extents when the coin tray  12  is in the first position, the second position or is pivoting between the two positions. In other alternative embodiments, the corrugations  52 ,  54  are slightly withdrawn from one another when the coin tray  12  is in the first position, the second position or when pivoting between the two positions. For example, the peaks  56  of the corrugations  52 ,  54  may extend well inside of the valleys  58  while the coin tray  12  in the first position, but may move slightly away from one another as the coin tray is pivoted toward the second position. 
     The corrugations  52 ,  54  of the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  reduce, or practically eliminate, any gap between the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  though which a coin may pass. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the peaks  56  of the corrugations  54  of the coin chute  34  never completely pull out of the valleys  58  of the corrugations  52  of the coin tray  12 . Likewise, the peaks  56  of the corrugations  52  of the coin tray  12  do not completely withdraw from the valleys  58  of the corrugations  54  of the coin chute  34  as the coin tray is moved from the first coin receiving position to a second coin transferring position. In another embodiment, the peaks  56  only slightly withdraw from the valleys as distance less than the thickness of the thinnest coin the coin processing device  10  is designed to process. 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, the peaks  56  are shown slightly withdrawn from the valleys  58 . The corrugated interface between the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  prohibits coins from passing through any gap forming between the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  because the peaks  56  and valleys  58  are sized and arranged so that the largest gap(s) G between the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin that the corresponding device is designed to processes. In another embodiment of the coin tray  12 , the peaks and valleys  58  are sized and arranged so that width W of any gap G longer than the diameter of the smallest coin to be processed is less than the thickness of the thinnest coin that the coin sorter  10  is designed to accommodate. Therefore, coins are unable to pass between the coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34 . 
     While the corrugations  52 ,  54  have been shown as rounded peaks and valleys, the corrugations can include sharp peaks and valleys. According to other alternative embodiments, the interface between the pivoting coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  is not corrugated, but is comprised of discrete members (e.g. fingers, protrusions, rods, etc.) that are interleaved together in order to minimize the gap between. For example, the coin tray  12  can includes a plurality of rectangular-shaped, spaced-apart members extending therefrom that extend into the spaces between a plurality of rectangular shaped, spaced-apart members extending from the coin chute  34 . 
     If the operator wishes to discontinue coin feeding coins into the coin sorter  10 , the operator pivots the coin tray  12  towards the first position until the level of the coins in the coin tray  12  is no longer above the rim  38  of the coin chute  32 . Because the coin chute  34  is relatively small compared to the size of the coin tray  12 , few coins fall into the sorting mechanism of the coin sorter  10  after the coin tray  12  is lowered. 
     The bottom plate  35  of the coin tray is perforated according to one embodiment of the present invention. The perforations  70  are sized to have a diameter smaller than the smallest diameter of coins to be processed so that debris (having a diameters smaller than the diameter of the perforations) including dust, dirt, metal shavings, paper balls, etc. pass through the perforations, but coins do not. Debris passing through the perforations  70  is collected on in the base  30 . Referring to FIG. 7, alternatively, a removable debris pan  72  (FIGS. 2 b  and  7 ) is disposed in the base  30 , under the coin tray  12 , for collecting debris passing through the perforations  70 . In such an embodiment, an operator can remove the debris pan and empty it into a refuse container, rather than pick out the debris from the base  30 . 
     To protect the sorting mechanism of the coin sorter  12  from damage caused by ferromagnetic objects, one or more magnets (not shown) are attached to an inner wall of the coin chute  34 . Objects such as steel screws and washers, which are too large to filter through the perforations  70 , are attracted to the magnet(s). The magnet(s) holds the objects until the operator removes them. Alternatively, forming the entire coin chute from a magnetic material also effectively prevents ferromagnetic objects from entering the sorting mechanism of the coin sorting device  10 . Alternatively still, the interior of the coin chute  34  is lined with a magnetic material for collecting ferromagnetic objects. 
     The coin tray  12 , base  30  and funnel are made of any rigid material, such as plastic or other polymeric material or metal, that is durable and can withstand coins being deposited (i.e., dumped thereon). For example, injection molded plastic forms a lightweight, rigid and structurally sound coin tray  12 , base  30  and coin chute  34  which is easy to use and is inexpensive to manufacture according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     The corrugated interface between the pivoting coin tray  12  and the coin chute  34  allows for greater manufacturing tolerances in the manufacture of the coin tray  12  and coin chute  34 . As discussed above in the Background Section, the prior art devices are manufactured with very tight tolerances for reducing the size of the gap between the coin tray and coin chute. Turing back to the present invention, the corrugations  52 ,  54  of the coin tray  12  and coin chute  34  mesh together in a manner to lessen the impact any variations in the coin tray and coin chute occurring during the manufacturing of these parts. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.