Abstract:
A coin processing device comprises a plurality of coin tracks arranged in three dimension. The coin tracks of the coin processing device are aligned side by side, such that a plurality of coin tracks and coin storages are arranged within a limited space. The coin processing device of this invention comprises:  
     a coin entry way, including an opening allowing coins to enter into the coin processing device;  
     a first coin track mechanism, provided in the downstream position to the coin entry way, to allow coins to be processed to pass and comprised a coin exit;  
     a second coin track mechanism, comprising a coin entry, a coin track to allow coins to pass, and a coin storage slot to store at least one coin temporarily;  
     a third coin track mechanism, comprising a coin entry, a coin track to allow coins to pass, and at least two coin storage slots to store at least one coin temporarily, respectively;  
     wherein entries of said second and third coin track mechanisms are aligned in parallel along the thickness direction of coins to be processed when the coins pass through said first coin track mechanism, at positions opposite to coin exit of said first coin track mechanism; and  
     a coin track selection mechanism, positioned between exit of said first coin track mechanism and entries of said second and third coin track mechanisms, to guide coins released by said first coin track mechanism to enter the entry of one of said second and said third coin track mechanisms, according to a coin track selection instruction;  
     characterized in that said coin track selection mechanism comprises a wedge valve member actuated by an electric signal.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a coin processing device, especially to a coin processing device with a plurality of coin slots.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    In all kinds of automatic vending machines, the coin processing device is an important component. Any one who wishes to purchase a product or service from the automatic vending machine or to obtain a certificate of payment, inserts (?) a coin into the coin processing device and will be given the requested product, service or certificate, after the coin is sensed, identified and processed. Such an automatic vending machine may be used as a product vending machine, such as a cold drink vender, a service vending machine, such as a payphone, a game machine etc., or a ticket vending machine.  
           [0003]    The functions as provided by a coin processing device include: coin sensing function, to identify whether an inserted coin is processable by the coin processing device; coin identification function, to identify the sort of an inserted coin; coin charging function, to charge the inserted coin to a temporary storage through decided path(s), and coin processing function, to process the inserted coin as required, including acceptance and rejection of the inserted coin. In general, a conventional coin processing device has all or a part of the above functions.  
           [0004]    Because of the different size and material of coins that may be inserted into a coin processing device, coins being inserted shall be processed in different manners according to the size and material and other features of them. In order to conduct such processing, some problems need to be solved.  
           [0005]    First of all, coins to be processed are stored in the temporary storages before they are processed as being accepted or rejected. The more sorts of coins the coin processing device can process, the more temporary storages will be needed. The temporary storages are provided as parts of or extensions to the coin tracks. Space occupied by the temporary storages is approximately in ratio to the number of the temporary storages. Besides the temporary storage, a coin track is necessary to be used as exit way of coins that the coin processing device is not able to process. This coin rejection track occupies a part of the space of the coin processing device. While it is always necessary to make the coin processing device as compact as possible, the space that can be used by the coin processing device is limited. Designers of the coin processing device have to face a dilemma: The coin processing device needs to be compact, while the sorts of coins to be processed need to as many as possible.  
           [0006]    Taiwan utility model number 94587 (filing number 82213793) discloses an “improvement of coin track mechanism”, wherein the mechanism has one single coin track, which has one fake coin exit way, one genuine coin storage, one coin acceptance exit way and one coin rejection exit way. Two stoppers are provided in the coin track. The first stopper is used to reject coins that are identified as fake coins and the second stopper is used as gate for the coin acceptance exit way. This coin track mechanism is able to process only one sort of coin.  
           [0007]    Taiwan utility model No. 123142 (filing number 85217794) disclosed a coin collecting device invented by the same inventor. This device comprises in substance tow coin tracks aligned in parallel. The first coin track is used as exit track for coins that are identified as fake coins. The second coin track is used to store coins that are identified as genuine coins. Acceptance and rejection of coins are processed inside the second coin track. In this invention, a coin selection level is used to control the pathways of the fake coins and the genuine coins. Mechanical errors and malfunctions tend to happen, since the selection of the pathways is controlled by a level. This invention is able to process a single sort of coin.  
           [0008]    It is thus necessary to provide a novel coin processing device that is able to process a plurality of sorts of coins with a compact device.  
         OBJECTIVES OF INVENTION  
         [0009]    The objective of this invention is to provide a novel coin processing device that is able to process a plurality of sorts of coins.  
           [0010]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a compact coin processing device that is able to process a plurality of sorts of coins.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0011]    According to this invention, a coin processing device is provided. The coin processing device of this invention comprises a plurality of coin tracks arranged in three dimension. The coin tracks of the coin processing device are aligned side by side, such that a plurality of coin tracks and coin storages are arranged within a limited space.  
           [0012]    The coin processing device of this invention comprises:  
           [0013]    a coin entry way, including an opening allowing coins to enter into the coin processing device;  
           [0014]    a first coin track mechanism, provided in the downstream position to the coin entry way, to allow coins to be processed to pass and comprised a coin exit;  
           [0015]    a second coin track mechanism, comprising a coin entry, a coin track to allow coins to pass, and a coin storage slot to store at least one coin temporarily;  
           [0016]    a third coin track mechanism, comprising a coin entry, a coin track to allow coins to pass, and at least two coin storage slots to store at least one coin temporarily, respectively;  
           [0017]    wherein entries of said second and third coin track mechanisms are aligned in parallel along the thickness direction of coins to be processed when the coins pass through said first coin track mechanism, at positions opposite to coin exit of said first coin track mechanism; and  
           [0018]    a coin track selection mechanism, positioned between exit of said first coin track mechanism and entries of said second and third coin track mechanisms, to guide coins released by said first coin track mechanism to enter the entry of one of said second and said third coin track mechanisms, according to a coin track selection instruction;  
           [0019]    characterized in that said coin track selection mechanism comprises a wedge valve member actuated by an electric signal.  
           [0020]    The above and other objectives and advantages of this invention may be clearly understood from the detailed description by referring to the following drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 illustrates the structural diagram of the coin processing device of this invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 illustrates the structure diagram of the first and second coin track mechanisms of the coin processing device of this invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of the coin selection mechanism of the coin processing device of this invention.  
         [0024]    FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) show the operation of the coin selection mechanism.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 shows the flow chart of the coin processing of the coin processing device of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0026]    The embodiment of the coin processing device of this invention will be described by referring to the drawings in the followings. FIG. 1 illustrates the structure diagram of the coin processing device of this invention. FIG. 2 illustrates the structure diagram of the first and second coin track mechanisms of the coin processing device of this invention. As shown in the figures, the coin processing device of this invention comprises a first coin track mechanism  10 , a second coin track mechanism  20 , a third coin track mechanism  30  and a coin selection mechanism  40  positioned at downstream to said first coin track mechanism  10  and upstream to said second coin track mechanism  20  and said third coin track mechanism  30 .  
         [0027]    Refer to FIG. 2. As shown in this figure, the first coin track mechanism  10  includes an opening  11  connected to the entrance of the coin processing device, allowing coins to be processed to enter into the coin processing device. The first coin track mechanism  10  also includes a long narrow coin track  12 , with a width (measured along the diameter direction of coins to be processed) and a height (measured along the thickness direction of coins to be processed) slightly greater than that of the coins to be processed, such that coins to be processed may pass through it. An exit  13  is provided at the downstream site of the first coin track mechanism  10 , whereby coins to be processed may exit the first coin track mechanism  10  from here.  
         [0028]    The second coin track mechanism  20  also includes an opening  21  and a coin track  22 . The arrangements of the opening  21  and the coin track  22  are similar to that of the first coin track mechanism  10 . The coin track  22  of the second coin track mechanism  20  extends to a desired direction or to desired directions. A coin rejection track  24  is provided at the downstream part of the second coin track mechanism  20 .  
         [0029]    As shown in this FIG. 2, the coin rejection track  24  is a coin track extended downwards. A coin exit (not shown) may be provided at the bottom of the coin rejection track  24 . In the embodiment of this invention, a first coin storage  23  is provided and extended from a side of the second coin track mechanism  20 . The coin storage  23  is designed to temporarily store a plurality of coins to be processed. Preferably the coin storage  23  has a slope downwardly, so that incoming coins may move toward its exit  23   a  due to the gravity. A stopper valve  62  is provided at the exit  23   a  to stop the movement of the incoming coins towards the downstream direction of the coin storage  23 . Preferably a stopper  63  is provided in the coin storage  23 , at a upstream position relatively to the stopper valve  62 , such that, when a plurality of coins are temporally stored in the coin storage  23 , only one or a determined number of coins are allowed to pass the stopper valve  62 , after the stopper valve  62  is opened. The stopper valve  62  may be a stopper plate and the stopper  63  may be a seesaw element interactive with the stopper valve  62 . The stopper as disclosed in the aforesaid Taiwan utility model number 123142 provides the same or similar functions and may be taken for reference.  
         [0030]    The first coin storage  23  and the coin rejection track  24  are the downstream parts of the second coin track mechanism  20 . At the junction of the first coin storage  23  and the coin rejection track  24 , a selection valve  61  is provided to guide the incoming coins to enter the first coin storage  23  or the coin rejection track  24 . In practice, the selection valve  61  may be a stopper. When the selection valve  61  is closed, the incoming coins are introduced into the first coin storage  23 . When the selection valve  61  is opened, the incoming coins enter into the coin rejection track  24 . In the application of this invention, when an incoming coin is determined not one qualifying the processing of the coin processing device, the coin will be introduced into the coin rejection track  24  and will be rejected. Otherwise, the coin will be allowed to enter the first coin storage  23 , waiting to be processed.  
         [0031]    In the first coin storage  23 , a coin return exit  23   b  is provided at a lower position adjacent to the coin exit  23   a.  The coin return exit  23   b  is closed by a stopper valve  64 . The stopper valve  64  may be a stopper. When the stopper valve  64  is opened, the stored coins may drop downwardly into the first coin return track  25  connected to the coin return exit  23   b.  A coin return window (not shown) may be provided at the downstream position of the first coin return track  25 .  
         [0032]    In other embodiments of this invention, the first coin storage  23  is not provided in the second coin track mechanism  20 .  
         [0033]    Now refer to FIG. 1. As shown in this figure, the third coin track mechanism  30  has a structure similar to that of the second coin track mechanism  20 , except that the third coin track mechanism  30  is not provided with the coin rejection track  24 . In other words, the third coin track mechanism  30  has an opening  31  and a coin track  32 . The arrangements of the opening  31  and the coin track  32  are similar to that of the first coin track mechanism  10  and the second coin track mechanism  20 . The coin track  32  of the third coin track mechanism  30  extends to desired directions. A second coin storage  33  in a higher position and a third coin storage  34  in a lower position are provided at the downstream part of the third coin track mechanism  30 . Each of the coin storages  33  and  34  are designed to temporarily store a plurality of coins to be processed. Preferably the coin storages  33  and  34  have a slope downwardly, so that incoming coins may move toward their exits  33   a  and  34   a  due to the gravity. Stopper valves  65  and  68  are provided at the exits  33   a  and  34   a,  respectively, to stop the movement of the incoming coins towards the downstream direction of the coin storages  33  and  34 . Preferably a stopper  66 ,  69  is provided in each of the coin storages  33  and  34 , at a upstream position relatively to the stopper valves  65  and  68 , respectively, such that, when a plurality of coins are temporally stored in the coin storages  33  and/or  34 , only one or a determined number of coins are allowed to pass the stopper valves  65  or  68 , after the stopper valve  65  or  68  is opened. The structure and arrangement of the stopper valves  65 ,  68  and the stoppers  66 ,  69  are similar to that of the second coin track mechanism.  
         [0034]    The second coin storage  33  and the third coin storage  34  are the downstream parts of the third coin track mechanism  30 . At the junction of the second coin storage  33  and the third coin storage  34 , a selection valve  71  is provided to guide the incoming coins to enter the second coin storage  33  or the third coin storage  34 . In practice, the selection valve  71  may be a stopper. When the selection valve  71  is closed, the incoming coins are introduced into the second coin storage  33 . When the selection valve  71  is opened, the incoming coins enter into the third coin storage  34 .  
         [0035]    In the second coin storage  33  and the third coin storage  34 , coin return exits  33   b,    34   b  are respectively provided at a lower position adjacent to the coin exits  33   a,    34   a.  The coin return exits  33   b,    34   b  are closed respectively by stopper valves  67 ,  70 . The stopper valves  67 ,  70  may be stoppers. In the embodiment of this invention, the stopper valves  67  and  70  are interactive and the stopper valve  67  functions as border or divider of the second coin storage  33  and the third coin storage  34 . As a result, when the stopper valves  67  and  70  are both opened, the stored coins may drop downwardly into the second coin return track  35  connected to the coin return exits  33   b,    34   b.  A coin return window (not shown) may be provided at the downstream position of the second coin return track  35 .  
         [0036]    In another embodiment of this invention, the third coin track mechanism  30  has only one coin storage.  
         [0037]    The opening  21  of the second coin track mechanism  20  and the opening  31  of the third coin track mechanism  30  function as entrances of the coin track mechanisms  20 ,  30 , respectively. Both are flat, allowing a coin to pass through, and face the same direction towards the exit  13  of the first coin track mechanism  10 . A coin selection mechanism  40  is provided between the exit  13  of the first coin track mechanism  10  and the openings  21 ,  31  of the second and third coin track mechanisms  20 ,  30 . The major purpose of the coin selection mechanism  40  is to charge the coin that exits the exit  13  of the first coin track mechanism  10  to enter either one of the openings  21  and  31 , in response to a coin track selection signal.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of a coin selection mechanism suited in the coin processing device of this invention. As shown in the figure, the coin selection mechanism  40  comprises a ledge valve member  41  and its actuation mechanism.  
         [0039]    Now the operation of the coin selection mechanism  40  will be described. FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) show the operation of the coin selection mechanism  40 . In the embodiment of this invention, the wedge valve member  41  of the coin track selection mechanism  40  is engaged with the first coin track mechanism  10  and its thicker end is extruded from the inner surface of the coin track  12 , as a normal position, as shown in FIG. 4( a ). At this position, coins passing by said wedge valve member  41  will be guided to enter the entrance  21  of the second coin track mechanism  20 . The actuator  42  of the wedge valve member  41  is controlled by a controller (not shown), which is connected to a sensor  14  provided at the first coin track mechanism  10 . The sensor  14  is used to sense incoming matters that enters into the first coin track mechanism  10 , in order to determine whether the incoming matters are coins to be stored in the coin storages  23 ,  33  and  34 . If an incoming matter is determined not belonging to any sort of coin to be processed, the incoming matter will be treated as a “fake coin”. When the incoming matter is determined as a fake coin, the wedge valve member  41  is not actuated, such that the fake coin will enter into the second coin track mechanism  20 . At this time, the selection valve  61  is at its extrusion position, whereby the fake coin will be introduced into the first coin storage  23 . For this reason, the controller (not shown) actuates the selection valve  61 , allowing the fake coin to pass by the selection valve  61  and enter into the coin rejection track  24  and to the coin rejection window (not shown). Of course, if no first coin storage  23  is provided in the second coin track mechanism  20 , no selection valve  61  will be needed.  
         [0040]    On the other hand, if the incoming matter is determined as one of the sorts of coins to be processed, actuation of the wedge valve member  41  will be determined according to the sort of the incoming coin. If the coin belongs to the sort of coin to be stored in the first coin storage  23 , the wedge valve member  41  is not actuated, such that the incoming coin will enter the second coin track mechanism  20  and be guided into the first coin storage  23 . If the incoming coin is a coin to be stored in the second coin storage  33  or the third coin storage  34 , the wedge valve member  41  will be actuated, such that it is not extruded from the inner surface of the first coin track  12 , as shown in FIG. 4( b ). As a result, the incoming coin will be introduced into the third coin track mechanism  30 , and then to the second coin storage  33  or the third coin storage  34 , with the guidance of the selection valve  71 , which is controlled by the controller (not shown).  
         [0041]    The wedge valve member  41  of the coin selection mechanism  40  has a smooth surface  41   a,  allowing coins passing through it to slide to the entrance  21  of the second coin track mechanism  20  or the entrance  31  of the third coin track mechanism  30 , due to the force of the gravity. In some embodiments of this invention, a wedge valve member with a curved surface is provided to obtain same or similar effects. By using the wedge valve member  41 , it is not necessary to use a swing valve or a coin track selection track to guide the path of the incoming coins, as did in the conventional art. Efficiency in the selection of the desired coin track is thus enhanced and mechanical errors in exercising the selection are thus reduced.  
         [0042]    As to the determination of the nature of the foreign matter according to the sensing results of the sensor  14 , it may be conducted by any computer program that is know to those skilled in the art. The coin sensing device as disclosed in the aforesaid Taiwan utility model number 123142 may also be taken for reference. Detailed description thereof is thus omitted.  
         [0043]    In addition, if more than two coin track mechanisms are used in the coin processing device, all the entrances of the coin track mechanisms are aligned in parallel at the opposite position to the exit of the first coin track mechanism. In such an arrangement, the wedge valve member of this invention may be used to guide the incoming coins to enter one of the coin track mechanisms in a correct and efficient manner.  
         [0044]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at the downstream position of the exit  23   a  of the first coin storage  23  and the exits  33   a,    34   a  of the second and third coin storages  33 ,  34 , provided is a coin acceptance chamber  50 . The coin acceptance chamber  50  is a space or chamber with any shape that allows coins exiting the exits  23   a,    33   a  and  34   a  to enter into it. Coins entering into the coin acceptance track  50  may drop into the coin container (not shown) connected to the coin acceptance chamber  50 .  
         [0045]    In controlling the selection of the path of the coin, the stopper valve  62  at the exit  23   a  of the first coin storage  23 , the stopper valve  65  at the exit  33   a  of the second coin storage  33  or the stopper valve  68  at the exit  34   a  of the third coin storage  34  may open, in response to a control signal generated by the controller (not shown). As a result, coin(s) located at the upstream position of the opened stopper valve  62 ,  65  or  68  will drop into the coin acceptance chamber  50 . At the same time the stopper  63 ,  66  or  69  adjacent to the opened stopper valve may interact with the opened stopper to stop coins following the selected coin(s) to move downstream. As a result, only one or other determined number of coins are allowed to enter the coin acceptance chamber  50 . When the opened stopper valve  62 ,  65  or  68  is closed again, the stopper  63 ,  66  or  69  adjacent to it will move back to its normal position, whereby coins stopped by the stopper  63 ,  66  or  69  are allowed to move towards the stopper valve  62 ,  65  or  68 , until another coin acceptance signal is generated.  
         [0046]    When a coin return signal is generated by the controller (not shown), the stopper valve  64 ,  67  and/or  70  at the coin return exit  23   b,    33   b  and/or  34   b  is opened. With the operations of the stopper  63 ,  66  and/or  69 , coins temporarily stored in the fist, second and/or third coin storage  23 ,  33  and/or  34  will drop into the first coin return track  25  and/or the second coin return track  35 . In order to return the coins in one step, it is preferable that the first coin return track  25  and the second coin return track  35  are not positioned on the same or overlapping plane.  
         [0047]    When a plurality of coin track mechanisms are provided, the structure and control of the additional coin track mechanisms are similar to that of the third coin track mechanism  30 . Detailed description thereof is thus omitted.  
         [0048]    The processing of coins using the coin processing device of this invention will be described in the followings. FIG. 5 shows the flow chart of coin processing using the coin processing device of this invention. As shown in the figure, at  501  a coin entering into the first coin track mechanism  10  is sensed and the coin processing flow of this invention is actuated. Signal to actuate the operation of the coin processing device may also be a signal generated by a bottom pushed by the user, a signal generated when the handset is removed from the hook or any other signals. At  502  the coin sensor  14  determines whether the incoming matter is a coin to be processed by the coin processing device, and the sort of the coin. If the incoming matter is determined as a fake coin, the incoming matter is rejected at  503 , by actuating only the wedge valve member  41 . If the incoming matter is determined a coin to be processed, the coin is allowed to enter a determined coin storage  23 ,  33  or  34  according to its nature, by controlling at  504  the operations of the wedge valve member  41 , the stopper valves  61  and/or  71 . At  505  the controller determines whether another incoming matter has entered into the first coin track mechanism  10 . If yes, the operation returns to step  502 ; Otherwise the controller determines whether a coin acceptance signal is generated at  506 . If not, the operation returns to step  506 , otherwise, a selected con acceptance stopper  62 ,  65  or  68  is actuated at  507  to accept one or a determined number of coins. At  508 , the coins following the accepted coin or coins are moved towards the exit  23   a,    33   a  or  34   a  relating to the accepted coin. At  509 , the controller determines whether a coin return signal is generated. If no, the operation returns to step  505 , otherwise the coins stored in the coin storages  23 ,  33  and  34  are returned by opening the stoppers valves  64 ,  67  and  70  at  510 .  
       EFFECTS OF INVENTION  
       [0049]    As described above, in the coin processing device of this invention, a wedge valve member  41  is provided. Coins are guided to enter into a selected coin track according to the position of the wedge valve member  41 . It is not necessary to provide a swing valve or a coin selection track to conduct the selection of suited coin tracks. High efficiency in the selection of coin tracks is thus obtained.  
         [0050]    In addition, in the present invention number of coin track mechanisms that may be provided in the coin processing device is not limited to two. It is possible to align more than two coin track mechanisms at the opposite position of the exit of the first coin track mechanism and to charge the incoming coins into selected coin tracks correctly by using the coin track selection mechanism  40  of this invention.  
         [0051]    As the present invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above and other changes may be made therein without departing form the spirit and scope of the invention.