Coin separation device

Abstract

A coin separation device comprises a conveying device for conveying coins in a conveying direction out of an input container along a conveying section and a testing device which is arranged on the conveying section for recognizing a coin type of a coin which is conveyed along the conveying section. An accelerating device is provided which is configured to accelerate a coin conveyed along the conveying section in dependence on recognition by the testing device in such a manner that the coin is conveyed from the conveying section into a coin collecting device, wherein the accelerating device is configured, in dependence on the coin type of the coin recognized by the testing device, to act upon the coin for acceleration.

Claims

1. A coin separation device, comprising a conveying device comprising a conveyor belt for conveying coins in a conveying direction out of an input container along a conveying section, a testing device which is arranged on the conveying section for recognizing a coin type of a coin which is conveyed along the conveying section, and an accelerating device which is configured to accelerate a coin, while the coin is conveyed on the conveyor belt, along the conveying section in dependence on recognition by the testing device, the accelerating device comprising an acceleration element which, when the coin is determined by the testing device to be a first coin type, is accelerated in a first manner from a position in which the acceleration element is at a spacing from the coin of the first coin type to strike against the coin in such a manner that the coin is transported out of its conveying movement on the conveyor belt from the conveying section into a coin collecting device, and wherein, when the coin is determined by the testing device to be a second coin type, the acceleration element is accelerated in a second manner of acceleration which is different to the first manner of acceleration, such that the acceleration element abuts against the coin of the second coin type and applies a different type of acceleration to the coin to convey the coin from the conveying section.

2. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acceleration device is configured to accelerate the coin in the conveying direction.

3. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying section comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the input container is arranged on the first end and the acceleration device is arranged on the second end.

4. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the acceleration device is configured to convey a recognized coin beyond the second end into the coin collecting device on the other side of the second end.

5. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coin collecting device, when viewed along the conveying direction, is at a spacing to the second end of the conveying section.

6. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acceleration device comprises a stepping motor and an acceleration element which is driven by the stepping motor for accelerating a coin.

7. The coin separation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the acceleration element is formed by a paddle wheel which is rotatable about a rotational axis and which has paddles for acting upon a coin.

8. A method for operating a coin separation device, the method comprising conveying coins, using a conveying device comprising a conveyor belt, in a conveying direction out of an input container along a conveying section, recognizing a coin type of a coin which is conveyed along a conveying section using a testing device arranged on the conveying section, accelerating a coin which is conveyed on the conveyor belt along the conveying section using an acceleration element such that, when the coin is recognized to be a first coin type, the coin of the first coin type is accelerated in a first manner from a position in which the acceleration element is at a spacing from the coin to strike against the coin in such a manner that the coin is transported out of its conveying movement on the conveyor belt into a coin collecting device, and wherein, when the coin is recognized to be a second coin type, the acceleration element is accelerated in a second manner of acceleration which is different to the first manner of acceleration, such that the acceleration element abuts against the coin of the second coin type and applies a different type of acceleration to the coin to convey the coin from the conveying section.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: actuating the acceleration device in dependence on a control signal generated by the testing device for accelerating a coin which is conveyed on the conveying section.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: detecting at least one of geometric and electric characteristics of the coin using a sensor device of the testing device in order to determine the coin type of the coin by way of the geometric or electric characteristics.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: comparing data, using an evaluation and storage device of the testing device in which at least one currency data set with data of different coin types of a coinage is stored, of the coin detected by means of the sensor device with stored data of the at least one currency data set and by way of the comparison assigning the coin to a coin type of the currency data set.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: braking the acceleration device after the acceleration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The concept underlying the invention is to be explained in more detail below by way of the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a coin separation device with a conveying device and an acceleration device arranged on the conveying device for accelerating a coin out of its conveying movement, seen from the side.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of the conveying device and of the acceleration device according to FIG. 1, seen in a top view from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a coin separation device 1 which comprises a conveying device 2 for conveying coins out of an input container 40 along a conveying section 200 toward a coin collecting device 3.

(5) The conveying device 2 is realized as a conveyor belt with two conveying strands 20A, 20B which extend parallel to one another and are driven in a synchronous manner. Each conveying strand 20A, 20B, in this connection, is configured by a circulating conveyor belt, the conveying strands 20A, 20B being guided by identical guide elements 21, 22 in the form of guide rollers and being driven in a synchronous manner for movement in the same direction at the same speed.

(6) The conveyor belt 20 which is formed by the conveying strands 20A, 20B serves for the purpose of conveying coins M out of the input container 40 in a conveying direction F along a conveying section 200. The conveying device 2, in this connection, realizes the so-called vertical separation principle by the conveying direction F being directed against the direction of gravity G with one direction vector component (i.e. the conveying direction F can be broken down into vector components, one of which is set up against the direction of gravity G). Coins M are consequently conveyed upward at an angle (that is upwardly) with reference to the direction of gravity G out of the input container 40 along the conveying direction F, pairs of entrainment means 23, which are configured in each case by one first entrainment means 23A which is arranged on the one conveying strand 20A and one second entrainment means 23B which is arranged on the other conveying strand 20B, being configured on the conveying strands 20A, 20B for this purpose.

(7) To convey a coin M out of the input container 40, one pair of entrainment means 23 is moved through the input container 40 and in this way engages a coin M, whichas shown in FIGS. 1 and 2comes to abut against the conveying strands 20A, 20B and is held between the entrainment means 23A, 23B of the pair of entrainment means 23. By moving the conveying strands 20A, 20B in the conveying direction F, the coin M is then moved along the conveying section 200 in the conveying direction F, the movement of the conveying strands 20A, 20B being effected continuously and consequently coins M being removed in a successive manner out of the input container 40 and conveyed along the conveying section 200.

(8) When a coin M is taken out of the input container 40 several coins M can come to rest on one pair of entrainment means 23, for example by two coins lying one on top of the other or by one coin M pushing a further coin M in front of it on one pair of entrainment means 23.

(9) Consequently, first of all a ramp 24 is arranged on the conveying section 200 and then connecting thereto in the conveying direction F an ejecting device 25 which is to ensure that only precisely one coin M is conveyed on each pair of entrainment means. If a coin M which is conveyed on a pair of entrainment means 23 reaches the ramp 24, it runs up it and is consequently offset (slightly) perpendicular to the conveying direction F on the pair of entrainment means 23 associated therewith. In this way the coin M is raised from the conveying strands 20A, 20B, which results in a second coin M which is arranged on the coin M sliding from the entrainment means 23A, 23B of the pair of entrainment means 23 and consequently falling from the conveyor belt 20.

(10) After the ramp 24 the coin M passes to the ejecting device 25, which comprises a sensor 25 which is configured, for example, in an inductive manner and an ejector 251 which is connected downstream in the conveying direction F and is configured, for example, electromagnetically. If it is recognized by means of the (inductive) sensor 250 that a coin M is pushing a further coin M in front of it on a pair of entrainment means 23, the ejector 251 is actuated in a corresponding manner and the further coin is ejected.

(11) After the ramp 24 and the ejecting device 25 it is consequently ensured that only precisely one coin M is conveyed on one pair of entrainment means 23. The coin M then passes to a testing device 26 which is arranged on the conveying section 200 and serves for the purpose of detecting a coin, that is to recognize whether it is a coin M which is to be processed further or it is another object, for example a foreign body or a coin which cannot be processed further (because it originates, for example, from another currency. In dependence on the recognition, which can be performed, for example, by way of diameter recognition, weight recognition or also optical pattern recognition, a control signal is generated which serves for actuating an acceleration device 29 which is connected downstream, as is to be explained again below.

(12) After running through the testing device 26, a coin M passes to an ejecting device 27, which comprises ejectors 270, 271, 272 for the selective ejection of the coin M from the conveyor belt 20. Two of the ejectors 270, 271, 272, in this connection, serve for the purpose of ejecting coins M with extreme characteristics (e.g. extremely light or extremely heavy coins M or coins M with an extraordinary form, e.g. angular coins which cannot be accelerated in an optimum manner by way of the acceleration device 29 connected downstream). A third one of the ejectors 270, 271, 272 serves for the purpose of ejecting a coin M in a selective manner if the coin M has certainly been recognized and verified, then however it has been ascertained that the coin collecting device 3 connected downstream is not capable of accepting and processing the coin M further, for example because a container associated with the coin M is full and consequently is no longer able to accept further coins M.

(13) After passing the ejecting device 27 with the ejectors 270, 271, 272, a coin M which is guided on a pair of entrainment means 23if it has not been ejected up to now but has been recognized and verified by the testing device 26is to be supplied to the coin collecting device 3 for further processing. The acceleration device 29, which is arranged in a fixed location with respect to the conveyor belt 20 of the conveying device 2 and comprises a stepping motor 293 which comprises by means of a rotational axis 290 an acceleration element 291 in the form of a paddle wheel with a number of individual paddles 292, serves for this purpose.

(14) The acceleration device 29 is arranged on a second end 202 of the conveying section 200 of the conveying device 2 (the conveying device 2 takes the coins M out of the input container 40 on an opposite first end 201). The acceleration element 29 is rotatable about the rotational axis 290 and at the same timewhen viewed in a transverse direction transversely with respect to the conveying direction Fis arranged between the conveying strands 20A, 20B and consequently spatially between the entrainment means 23A, 23B arranged thereon (see FIG. 2). The acceleration element 291 can consequently be moved through between the entrainment means 23A, 23B of a pair of entrainment means 23 in order, in this way, to act with one of its paddles 292 upon a coin M which is arranged on a pair of entrainment means 23.

(15) In operation, the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel is set incrementally into a rotational movement in a rotational direction D about the rotational axis 290 by means of the stepping motor 293. The actuation of the stepping motor 293 is effected in dependence on a control signal generated by the testing device 26 which indicates the correct recognition of a coin M and controls the stepping motor 293 in a corresponding manner for conveying the coin M into the collecting device 3. In the case of corresponding actuation, the stepping motor 293 consequently drives the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel in the rotational direction D such that a paddle 292 acts upon the coin M to be accelerated and accelerates it in an acceleration direction B which is approximately the same direction as the conveying direction F.

(16) The actuation of the acceleration element 291 of the acceleration device 29 is effected by the testing device 26 in this connection in a controlled manner in dependence on the coin type of a coin M conveyed on the conveying section 200. The coin type of a coin M is detected by the testing device 26 which comprises sensor devices 261, 262 and an evaluation and storage device 260 for this purpose. The geometric dimensions of a coin M can be detected in an optical manner by means of the sensor devices 261, 262, and, for example, using suitable electromagnetic cores, electric characteristics of the coin M can be determined. One or more currency data sets, in which data on coin types of one or several currencies are contained, are stored in the evaluation and storage device 260. By comparing data measured by means of the sensor devices 261, 262 with the data stored in the evaluation and storage device 260, a coin M can then be assigned to a coin type which is deposited in a currency data set such that a coin can be recognized, for example, as a 1 Euro coin, 2 Euro coin or the like.

(17) In dependence on its coin type, a coin comprises predetermined nominal physical characteristics, in particular a predetermined nominal weight (a 1 Euro coin comprises, for example, a predetermined nominal weight, from which the real weight of the 1 Euro coin will only deviate in a negligible manner). Such physical characteristics, in particular the weight and the size, are also stored in the associated currency data set such that by identifying the coin type of the coin M in particular its weight and size are also known.

(18) In dependence on the coin type, the acceleration device 29 can consequently be actuated in such a manner that it accelerates the known coin M in an advantageous manner such it is conveyed along a suitable flight path to the left of the coin collecting device 3. The acceleration by the acceleration device 29, in this case, can be in such manner that the flight path for coins M of different coin types is at least approximately the same in order to ensure in this way that all the coins M pass in a reliable manner into the inlet 300 of a channel 30 of the coin collecting device 3.

(19) In this connection the acceleration device 29 can be actuated in different ways in dependence on the coin types of different coins M.

(20) For example, to accelerate a small light coin (e.g. an aluminum coin) the acceleration device 29 is actuated to carry out a first manner of acceleration where the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel tracks the coin M at a spacing and then, if the coin M is situated approximately in the position shown for the coin M below by the acceleration element 291 in FIG. 1, strikes against the coin M such that the coin M is accelerated in a pulse-like manner and as a result is conveyed from the conveying section 200 toward the coin collecting device 3. The acceleration device 29 consequently acts upon the coin M in a pulse-like manner and knocks it from the conveying section 200.

(21) In the case of a large heavy coin M (for example a steel coin) the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel can track the coin M in contrast with a paddle such that the paddle abuts against the coin M and the coin M, where applicable, already lifts (slightly) from the pair of entrainment means 23 on which the coin M is conveyed. The acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel is accelerated out of said abutment position then when the coin M is situated in the position shown in FIG. 1 and at the same time entrains the coin M. The coin M is consequently accelerated in a sliding manner from the conveying section 200 toward the coin collecting device 3.

(22) The provision of said specific different manners of acceleration is not compulsory. It is also conceivable to actuate the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel for exerting a predetermined pulse upon a coin M in dependence on the coin type, the exerted pulse varying for coins M of different coin types.

(23) In order to prevent, irrespective of the manner of acceleration, a paddle of the acceleration element acting (again) upon on the already accelerated coin M after a coin M has been accelerated, the acceleration element 291 in the form of the paddle wheel is braked again once it has acted upon a coin M until the next coin M is to be conveyed away from the conveying section 200 and the acceleration element 291 is once again actuated for this purpose.

(24) By means of the acceleration device 29 a coin M which is to be conveyed into the coin collecting device 3 is accelerated out of the conveying movement along the conveying section 200 and in this way is centrifuged into the inlet 300 of the channel 30 of the coin collecting device 3. The acceleration is effected in this connection out of the conveying movement and consequently at least approximately in the conveying direction F as a result of the coin M being accelerated in the conveying direction F to a speed which exceeds the conveying speed of the conveying device 2 along the conveying section 200 (brought about by the conveying movement of the conveyor belt 20 with its conveying strands 20A, 20B). The coin M is consequently accelerated beyond the second end 202 of the conveying section 200 and passes into the coin collecting device 3.

(25) The coin collecting device 3 is at a spacing A from the second end 202 of the conveying section 200. The acceleration of the coin M is provided such that the accelerated coin M is able to overcome the spacing A and consequently passes into the inlet 300 of the channel 30.

(26) The channel 30 is configured in a curved manner in the plane spanned by the conveying direction F and the direction of gravity G. In particular with its outside wall, which is remote from the conveying device 2, the channel 30, in this case, reproduces the (on account of the acting force of gravity parabolic) flight path of an accelerated coin M which is conveyed into the coin collecting device 3. The result of this is that a coin M centrifuged into the channel 30 moves in a sliding manner to abut against the outside wall of the channel 30 and is guided in a sliding manner along the outside wall such that a defined movement of the coin M along the channel is produced without the coin M, for example, getting into trouble.

(27) An object M (for example a defective body or a coin which is not to pass into the coin collecting device 3), which is still situated on the conveyor belt 20 at the second end 202 of the conveying section 200 and consequently has passed all the devices 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 on the conveying section 200 and has also not been accelerated by the acceleration device 29, is conveyed beyond the second end 202 of the conveying section 200, but in this case falls through the opening created by the spacing A between the second end 202 of the conveying section 200 and the inlet 300 of the coin collecting device 3 onto a chute 42, which conveys the object M (see FIG. 1) back into a collecting container 41 of a return device 4 and consequently returns it to a user.

(28) Arranged downstream of the ejecting device 27 in the conveying direction F on the conveying section 200 is a checking device 28 which serves for the purpose of checking the correct ejection of a coin Mif this should have been effectedat the ejecting device 27. The checking device 28 is developed, for example, as an inductive sensor which checks whether a metal coin M, which should have been ejected by the ejecting device 27, has also actually been ejected and to this end generates a signal inductively when the coin M possibly passes.

(29) The coin collecting device 3 catches a coin M, which is centrifuged by means of the acceleration device 29 from the conveying section 200 toward the coin collecting device 3, at its inlet 300 and directs the coin M via the channel 30 toward a sorting device 32 in the form of a sorting funnel which is pivotable about a pivot axis 320. Before the coin M, in this case, passes to the sorting device 32, it passes a checking device 31 which serves the purpose of detecting the coin M in order to verify that the coin M has actually passed into the coin collecting device 3. In addition, when the coin M passes the checking device 31 (which can be configured, for example, as a light barrier), a position signal can be generated which can be used to trigger an adjustment movement of the sorting device 32 in order to direct the coin M into a coin collecting channel 330-334 and into a coin collecting container 340-344 which is connected downstream of the coin collecting channel 330-334 so that it can be sorted in a suitable manner.

(30) When reaching the sorting device 32, the coin M passes into a funnel-shaped inlet 321 of the sorting device 32 and is supplied via an outlet 322 to the associated coin collecting channel 330-334 and via this to the associated coin collecting container 340-344.

(31) For example, one coin collecting container 340-344 can be associated with each coin type. Thus, a one Euro coin can be directed, for example, into a coin collecting container 340-344 in which one Euro coins are collected. The same applies to coins of other coin types.

(32) The concept underlying the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted above, but can also be realized in principle in the case of quite different embodiments.

(33) In particular, the acceleration direction into which the acceleration device accelerates a coin to be accelerated is not necessarily directed in a collinear manner with respect to the conveying direction. The acceleration direction can also be directed, for example, at an angle with respect to the conveying direction.

(34) The acceleration device can be developed, in principle, in an arbitrary manner and does not necessarily have to use a paddle wheel. For example, the acceleration can be in quite a different manner, for example by means of compressed air or as a result of an electromagnetic ejecting device which (also) brings about acceleration in the conveying direction. In principle, all acceleration devices which are able to bring about acceleration out of the conveying movement are suitable.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(35) 1 Coin separation device 2 Conveying device 20 Conveyor belt 200 Conveying section 201, 202 End 20A, 20B Conveying strand 21, 22 Guide element 23 Pair of entrainment means 23A, 23B Entrainment means 24 Ramp 25 Ejecting device 250 (Inductive) sensor 251 Ejector 26 Testing device 260 Evaluation and storage device 261, 262 Sensor device 27 Ejecting device 270, 271, 272 Ejector 28 Checking device 29 Acceleration device 290 Rotational axis 291 Acceleration element (paddle wheel) 292 Paddle 293 Stepping motor 3 Coin collecting device 30 Channel 300 Entry 301 Exit 31 Checking device 32 Sorting device 320 Pivot axis 321 Inlet 322 Outlet 330-334 Coin collecting channel 340-344 Coin collecting container 4 Return device 40 Input container 41 Collecting container 42 Chute A Spacing B Acceleration device D Rotational direction F Conveying direction G Direction of gravity M Coin M Object X Horizontal direction Y Vertical direction