Image acquisition device, coin identification device, coin inspection device, and coin processing device

Abstract

To provide an image acquisition device capable of acquiring a coin image with high accuracy.SOLUTION: The image acquisition device includes: a conveyance path that conveys a coin; and a coin image sensor including a light emitting unit that irradiates one of coin surfaces of the coin with light, an image acquisition unit that receives light reflected from the coin surface to acquire a coin image, a housing that stores the light emitting unit and the image acquisition unit, and a cover part that covers an opening of the housing and has a conveyance surface for the coin. At least part of the conveyance surface of the cover part is lowered relative to a conveyance surface of the conveyance path, and a dirt removing unit that removes dirt adhering to the cover part is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image capturing device, a coin identifying device, a coin inspecting device, and a coin processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is an image acquisition device equipped with a coin image sensor that acquires an image by irradiating light from a light source onto a coin being conveyed and receiving the reflected light, and there is known a coin identification device and a coin inspection device that compares the coin image acquired by the coin acquisition device with a preregistered coin image template and identifies and inspects the coin based on the comparison result. Examples of coin identification and inspection include, for example, denomination determination, authenticity determination, goodness determination, and inspection of manufactured coins (inspection of good and defective).

[0003] When transporting coins, a pressing transport method is used in which the coin is sandwiched between the transport surface and the belt, but when the coin surface is pressed by the belt for transport, the pressed coin rubs against the transport surface, causing the coin to become sharpened, especially in coins made of aluminum, such as 1 yen coins, which are a soft material. This causes coin powder to be generated on the transport path and on the coin image sensor, which may cause image defects when the coin is transported or when the coin image sensor captures the coin image. In order to eliminate the problems caused by such coin dust, various solutions have been implemented.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention in which air blowing means is used to remove coin powder from conveyed coins.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses an invention in which rollers are placed on the transport surface along which coins are transported, and the rollers lift the coins being transported, thereby reducing friction that occurs during pressing and transporting, and preventing the generation of coin dust.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses an invention in which conveyed coins are sandwiched between upper and lower brush rollers to clean the coins, and coin powder is removed by cleaning the coins. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4937009 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3423646 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6345161 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In Patent Document 1, it is possible to temporarily remove coin powder from the conveying surface using an air blowing means, but there is a possibility that coin powder stirred up by the air may remain on the image acquisition section that acquires the coin image.

[0009] In Patent Document 2, it is possible to temporarily reduce friction by placing rollers on the conveying path, but there is a possibility that coin dust will be generated again on the conveying path or in the image acquisition unit where the rollers are not placed.

[0010] In Patent Document 3, there are concerns that the arrangement of the cleaning rollers will increase the size and cost of the device.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned current situation, and aims to provide an image acquisition device that can accurately acquire coin images by preventing defects in the acquired images caused by dirt such as coin powder generated when coins rub against the conveying surface remaining on the image acquisition section, as well as a coin identification device, coin inspection device, and coin processing device that are equipped with the image acquisition device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, (1) the image acquisition device disclosed herein has a coin image sensor including a transport path for transporting coins, a light-emitting unit for irradiating light onto one coin face of the coin, an image acquisition unit for receiving light reflected from the coin face and acquiring a coin image, a housing unit for accommodating the light-emitting unit and the image acquisition unit, and a cover unit for covering an opening of the housing unit and having a transport surface for the coin, wherein at least a portion of the transport surface of the cover unit is lower than the transport surface of the transport path, and a dirt removal unit is provided for removing dirt adhering to the cover unit.

[0013] (2) In the image acquisition device described in (1) above, the dirt removal unit may blow air from an oblique direction relative to the transport surface of the cover unit toward a portion where the transport surface of the cover unit is lower than the transport surface of the transport path.

[0014] (3) In the image acquisition device described in (1) or (2) above, a conveyor belt for transporting coins along the coin transport direction is provided, and the dirt removal section may be provided with a plurality of air outlets spanning the conveyor belt.

[0015] (4) In the image acquisition device according to any one of (1) to (3) above, a part of a conveying surface of the cover portion may be lower than a conveying surface of the conveying path.

[0016] (5) In the image acquisition device according to any one of (1) to (4) above, a part of the conveying surface of the cover may be a concave portion.

[0017] (6) In the image acquisition device described in (5) above, the coin image sensor may be a line sensor, and the concave portion may extend along a main scanning direction of the line sensor.

[0018] (7) In the image acquisition device described in (6) above, the image acquisition unit may include a focusing lens that focuses light and a light receiving sensor that receives the light focused by the focusing lens, and the concave portion may be located on the optical axis of the focusing lens.

[0019] (8) In the image acquisition device described in any one of (5) to (7) above, the dirt removal unit may blow air to the recessed portion along a direction in which the recessed portion extends.

[0020] (9) In the image acquisition device described in (8) above, a pair of transport guides are provided on the cover portion along the coin transport direction, and an air flow path may be provided in the transport guide that is upstream when air is blown onto the concave portion along the extension direction of the concave portion, at a location corresponding to the position of the concave portion.

[0021] (10) In the image acquisition device described in (9) above, the transport guide may be provided with a groove that serves as the air flow path and extends in a direction inclined obliquely with respect to the transport surface of the cover portion.

[0022] (11) In the image acquisition device described in any one of (5) to (10) above, the width of the concave portion along the conveying direction may be smaller than the diameter of a coin with a smallest diameter that can be conveyed.

[0023] (12) In the image acquisition device described in any one of (5) to (11) above, a width of the concave portion along the conveying direction may be smaller than a radius of a coin with a smallest diameter that can be conveyed.

[0024] (13) In the image acquisition device described in any one of (5) to (12) above, a conveying belt for conveying coins is provided along the coin conveying direction, a pressing section for pressing the conveying belt against the coins is provided upstream of the concave-shaped section in the conveying direction, and the distance along the conveying direction between the downstream end of the pressing section and the downstream end of the concave-shaped section may be smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin that can be conveyed.

[0025] (14) A coin discriminating device according to the present disclosure includes the image acquiring device according to any one of (1) to (13) above.

[0026] (15) A coin inspection device according to the present disclosure includes the image acquisition device according to any one of (1) to (13) above.

[0027] (16) The coin processing device of the present disclosure includes the coin identification device described in (14) above and / or the coin inspection device described in (15) above. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an image acquisition device that can accurately acquire coin images by preventing defects in the acquired images caused by dirt such as coin powder generated when coins rub against the conveying surface from remaining on the image acquisition section, as well as a coin identification device, coin inspection device, and coin processing device that are equipped with the image acquisition device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of an image acquisition device according to this embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic example of the coin image sensor according to this embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image acquisition device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the dirt removing section. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the conveying surface of the cover portion and the direction of the air blown from the dirt removing portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a recessed portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective schematic view illustrating an example of a coin image sensor. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of the positional relationship between the pressing portion, the conveyor belt, the concave portion, and the coin. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a partially exploded perspective schematic view illustrating an example of the configuration of an image acquisition device in which a through hole is provided in a transport guide as an air flow path. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic diagram of another example of an image acquiring device. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic diagram of still another example of an image acquiring device. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view that illustrates an example of a coin processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of an image acquisition device, a coin identification device, a coin inspection device, and a coin processing device (hereinafter, these are also collectively referred to as an image acquisition device, etc.) according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described using an image acquisition device, etc. that targets coins as currency as an example, but the coins that are the target of the image acquisition device, etc. according to the present disclosure include not only coins as currency but also coins used in gaming machines. In addition, a metal plate called a "circular shape" that is a plate in the shape of a coin after punching a metal plate, which is generated in the process of manufacturing coins as currency, is also included in the coins that are the target of the image acquisition device, etc. according to the present disclosure. In addition, only a core portion that is a part of a bicolor clad coin is also included in the coins that are the target of the image acquisition device, etc. according to the present disclosure. In addition, objects that have a shape similar to that of a coin as currency, such as coins as currency, coins used in gaming machines, circular shapes, core portions, etc., may be collectively referred to as coin-like objects, and coins that are the target of the image acquisition device, etc. according to the present disclosure may be referred to as coin-like objects. The following description is an example of an image acquisition device, etc. The effects of the image capture device and the like according to the present disclosure are particularly effective when dealing with coins that are prone to coin dust. Examples of such coins include aluminum coins, such as the Japanese 1 yen coin.

[0031] Examples of identification performed by a coin identification device and a coin inspection device equipped with an image acquisition device according to the present disclosure include determining the denomination of coins, authenticity, fitness, and inspection of manufactured coins (inspection of good and defective coins).

[0032] In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components having the same or similar functions in different embodiments and drawings, and repeated explanations of the components are omitted. In addition, mutually orthogonal XYZ coordinate systems are appropriately shown in the drawings explaining the structure.

[0033] (Embodiment 1) The configuration of an image acquisition device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of an image acquisition device according to this embodiment. The image acquisition device 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes a coin image sensor 10. The image acquisition device 1 includes a conveyance path 30 for conveying coins. The conveyance direction of the coins may be the X direction in Fig. 1. The transport path 30 may include a transport path 40 located upstream of the coin image sensor 10 and a transport path 50 located downstream of the coin image sensor 10 . The transport path 40 may have a transport surface 45 , the transport path 50 may have a transport surface 55 , and the coin image sensor 10 may have a transport surface 15 . The conveying surface 45 of the conveying path 40 and the conveying surface 55 of the conveying path 50 may be made of sheet metal or ceramic (zirconia, etc.), and the conveying surface made of sheet metal may be subjected to a surface treatment to prevent wear caused by coins. Coins may be transported from the upstream side to the downstream side (X direction in FIG. 1) on the transport surface 45, the transport surface 15, and the transport surface 55 in that order. The transport surface 45, the transport surface 15, and the transport surface 55 may all be on the XY plane in FIG.

[0034] The image acquisition device 1 includes a dirt removal unit (cleaner) 20. The dirt removal unit 20 includes an air outlet 21 through which air from a fan 22 is blown out through a duct 23, and may be an air blowing device (blower). The dirt removal unit will be described in detail later.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic example of the coin image sensor according to this embodiment. The coin image sensor 10 shown in Fig. 2 comprises a light emitting section (light source) that irradiates light onto one coin face of a coin, an image acquiring section (imager) that receives light reflected from the coin face and acquires a coin image, a housing section (case) 13 that houses the light emitting section and the image acquiring section, and a cover section (cover) 14 that covers an opening 13b of the housing section 13 and has a coin transport surface 15. A part of the transport surface 15 of the cover section 14 may be formed as a concave section 16. The housing may be substantially rectangular parallelepiped in shape with an opening on its upper surface.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image acquisition device. FIG. 3 shows the light emitting section 11 and the image acquiring section 12 of the coin image sensor 10. Light is emitted from the light emitting unit 11 to the coin face of the coin C, and the light reflected from the coin face is received by the image acquiring unit 12 to acquire a coin image. The light-emitting unit 11 and the image acquisition unit 12 may be housed in a housing unit 13, and the entire upper surface of the housing unit 13 in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 3 is an opening 13b, and the opening 13b may be covered by a cover unit 14. It can also be said that the light emitting unit 11 and the image acquiring unit 12 are covered by the cover unit 14 .

[0037] The cover portion 14 may be made of a transparent material with high light transmittance so as to transmit light and obtain a coin image, or may be made of glass (cover glass) such as sapphire glass.

[0038] In the image acquisition device of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the conveying surface of the cover is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path. With this configuration, the coin surface does not come into contact with the conveying surface of the cover part which is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path, so that the lower part does not become dirty due to the coin rubbing against the conveying surface, and scratches due to friction are prevented. By capturing images while allowing light to pass through the portion where the conveying surface of the cover portion is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path, it is possible to create an image capturing device that can capture coin images with high accuracy. In this specification, the conveying surface refers to the surface of the conveying path and the surface of the cover part along the route along which coins are conveyed, and includes both surfaces that come into contact with the coin face of the coin and surfaces that do not come into contact with the coin face of the coin. In addition, when referring to the position of the conveying surface as "low" or "high," the surface closer to the coin face of the conveyed coin is referred to as the "high" surface, and the surface farther from the coin face of the conveyed coin is referred to as the "low" surface. Typically, the surface of the conveying surface that comes into contact with the coin face is referred to as the "high" surface, and the surface of the conveying surface that does not come into contact with the coin face is referred to as the "low" surface.

[0039] Fig. 3 shows that a part of the conveying surface 15 of the cover part 14 (the surface indicated by reference symbol 16a) is lower than the conveying surfaces of the conveying path 30 (conveying surfaces 45 and 55). The cover part shown in Fig. 3 is a member in which a high conveying surface portion and a low conveying surface portion are integrated, and is not a combination of a member with a high conveying surface and a member with a low conveying surface. In the form shown in Fig. 3, a part of the conveying surface 15 of the cover part 14 is a concave portion 16, and a bottom surface 16a of the concave portion 16 is lower than the conveying surfaces 45 and 55, which are the conveying surfaces of the conveying path 30. The bottom surface 16 a of the recessed portion 16 may be a flat surface parallel to the conveying surface of the conveying path 30 .

[0040] The recessed portion 16 shown in FIG. 2 is a groove having a predetermined width that extends in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the conveying direction (X direction). The width of the concave portion 16 is determined as the width along the conveying direction (X direction), and the width may be smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin that can be conveyed. Also, the width may be smaller than the radius of the smallest diameter coin that can be conveyed. If the width of the concave portion is too large, the coin being transported may fall into the concave portion at its leading edge (downstream side) and become caught, resulting in poor transport. The image acquisition device of the present disclosure can transport multiple types of coins with different diameters, and the image acquisition device is configured such that the width of the concave portion is determined based on the diameter (radius) of the smallest diameter coin that can be transported by the image acquisition device. For coins larger than the smallest diameter coin that can be transported, the effect of determining the width of the concave portion is similarly exerted.

[0041] The depth of the recessed portion may be 0.05 to 0.20 mm.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the dirt removing section. FIG. 4 shows the dirt removal section 20 in an exploded view showing only the members on the upstream side in the conveying direction. 4 includes four air outlets 21. However, the number of air outlets is not limited to four. By blowing air from the air outlet 21, dirt such as coin powder adhering to the conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 can be removed.

[0043] In the dirt removal section, air may be blown from an oblique direction relative to the conveying surface of the cover section toward a portion where the conveying surface of the cover section is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path. The dirt removing portion may blow air onto the recessed portion along the extending direction of the recessed portion. In the form shown in Figure 4, the dirt removal section 20 is provided with four air outlets 21 along the extension direction of the concave portion 16, which is the part where the conveying surface 15 of the cover section 14 is lowered, and air can be blown from each air outlet 21 onto the concave portion 16 so that the air flows along the extension direction of the concave portion 16. The air blown from air outlet 21 flows from the upper right to the lower left in Fig. 4 along the extension direction of concave portion 16. With respect to the air flow direction along the extension direction of the concave portion, the upper right in Fig. 4 is the upstream side and the lower left is the downstream side.

[0044] If the cover portion has a portion that is lower than the conveying surface, such as a concave portion, dirt such as coin powder is likely to accumulate in the concave portion, which may cause problems with the acquired image. In this case, by blowing air into the concave portion, it is possible to prevent coin powder from accumulating in the concave portion and prevent problems from occurring in the acquired image. The dirt removal section in the image acquisition device of the present disclosure removes dirt adhering to the cover section, but may also remove dirt from a portion where the conveying surface of the cover section is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path.

[0045] 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the conveying surface of the cover and the direction of the air blown from the dirt removing unit. FIG. 5 is also a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. The shape (angle) of the air outlet 21 is determined so that the direction of the air is oblique to the conveyance surface of the cover portion (bottom surface 16a of the concave portion 16 in FIG. 5). The angle of the air blown from the dirt removal portion to the conveyance surface of the cover portion (angle indicated by θ in FIG. 5) may be 30 to 60° or 40 to 50°. In FIG. 5, the angle is illustrated as 45°. Regarding the direction (angle) of the wind, the angle when air is blown parallel to the conveying surface of the cover is 0°, and the angle when air is blown from directly above (perpendicularly) to the conveying surface of the cover is 90°.

[0046] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of the cross-sectional shape of a recessed portion. The concave portion may be a portion formed by forming a groove on one main surface of a plate (eg, a glass plate). When the concave portion 16 is provided, its cross-sectional shape may have its corners chamfered. There are two types of corners, and when the cross-sectional shape of the concave portion 16 is a bottom surface 16a and two side surfaces 16b, the corners refer to a corner 16c formed by the bottom surface 16a and the side surfaces 16b, and a corner 16d formed by the side surfaces 16b and the surface 14a of the cover portion. The corners 16c are so-called corners. Either or both of the corners 16c and 16d may be chamfered. If the corners 16c are chamfered, dirt such as coin powder is less likely to accumulate at the corners, and dirt can be easily removed by air blown from the dirt removal section. When the corners 16d are chamfered, the generation of coin powder caused by the coin rubbing against the corners of the recessed portion is suppressed, and the cover portion is less likely to be scratched. The chamfering may be either C chamfering or R chamfering.

[0047] (Embodiment 2) The coin image sensor included in the image acquisition device according to the present disclosure may be a line sensor, and the concave portion may extend along the main scanning direction of the line sensor. In addition, the image acquisition unit may include a focusing lens that focuses light, and a light receiving sensor that receives the light focused by the focusing lens, and the concave portion may be located on the optical axis of the focusing lens. The above embodiment will be described below.

[0048] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective schematic view illustrating an example of a coin image sensor. The coin image sensor 10 shown in Figure 7 may include two light-emitting units 11a, 11b and an image acquisition unit 12, and the image acquisition unit 12 may include a focusing lens 12a that focuses light and a light-receiving sensor 12b that receives the light focused by the focusing lens 12a. The light emitting units 11a and 11b may each include a rod-shaped light guide 11c and a plurality of types of light emitting elements 11d that face each end face of the light guide 11c and irradiate light of a plurality of wavelengths, or may be configured to sequentially irradiate light of a plurality of wavelengths onto one coin face of the coin. Both ends of each light guide 11c may be inserted into holes formed in the holder 11e, and a board 11f on which the light emitting elements 11d are mounted may be disposed adjacent to each holder 11e.

[0049] The condenser lens 12a may be composed of, for example, a rod lens array in which a plurality of rod lenses are arranged in the main scanning direction (Y direction) of the coin image sensor, and may be configured to condense light emitted from the light emitting units 11a and 11b and reflected by the surface of the coin. These members may be incorporated in a box-shaped housing unit 13 with one side open, and the opening of the housing unit 13 is covered by a plate-shaped cover unit 14.

[0050] The light receiving sensor 12b may be, for example, a linear image sensor in which multiple light receiving elements (light receiving pixels) are arranged in the main scanning direction (Y direction) of the coin image sensor, and each light receiving element may be configured to be sensitive to the wavelength bands of multiple wavelengths of light irradiated by the light emitting units 11a and 11b. When the light receiving sensor of the coin image sensor is a linear image sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements (light receiving pixels) are arranged in the main scanning direction (Y direction) of the coin image sensor, the coin image sensor can be said to be a line sensor.

[0051] For each light receiving element, for example, a silicon (Si) photodiode having sensitivity at least from the visible region to the infrared region of wavelength 1100 nm can be used. Each light receiving element may be mounted on a board 12c attached to the rear side of the housing part 13, and may receive light collected by the collecting lens 12a, convert it into an electric signal according to the amount of incident light, and output it to the board 12c. Each light receiving element may receive light of the wavelength in accordance with the irradiation timing of the light of each wavelength by the light emitting part 11a and the light emitting part 11b. The board 12c may include, for example, a driving circuit for driving the light receiving element and a signal processing circuit for processing and outputting a signal from the light receiving element. The board 12c may amplify the output signal of the light receiving sensor 12b (each light receiving element), convert it into digital data, and output it. A plurality of ventilation holes 13a for air circulation may be formed in the housing 13. By allowing air to circulate, condensation on the cover 14 can be prevented.

[0052] The concave portion 16, which is a part of the conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14, may extend along the main scanning direction (Y direction) of the line sensor. The concave portion 16 may be located on the optical axis of the condenser lens 12a. The concave portion 16 is a portion where the surface of the coin does not come into contact with the surface, is less likely to be scratched by friction, and is less likely to become dirty with oil. Therefore, even if a large number of coins are transported, the concave portion remains transparent and allows light to easily pass through. By positioning the concave portion on the optical axis of the focusing lens, the line sensor can accurately capture coin images.

[0053] (Embodiment 3) In the image acquisition device according to the present disclosure, a conveyor belt for conveying the coins may be provided along the coin conveying direction. Furthermore, in the case where a conveyor belt is provided, the dirt removal section may include a plurality of air outlets across the conveyor belt. The above embodiment will be described below.

[0054] FIG. 8 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. 8 shows a conveyor belt 60. The conveyor belt 60 may move from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction (X direction) in the vicinity of the conveying surface 15. The conveyor belt 60 comes into contact with the coins to convey the coins along the conveying direction.

[0055] When the dirt removing section is provided with an air outlet, it is necessary to ensure that the position of the air outlet does not interfere with the conveyor belt. 8, the dirt removal section 20 is provided with a plurality of air outlets 21 straddling the conveyor belt 60. The dirt removal section 20 straddles the conveyor belt 60, and one or more, for example, two air outlets 21 are provided on one side of the conveyor belt 60 along a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the conveying direction (X direction), and one or more, for example, two air outlets 21 are provided on the other side of the conveyor belt 60. The air outlets 21 are each configured to blow air toward the recessed portion 16 from an oblique direction relative to the transport surface 15 of the cover portion 14 along the direction in which the recessed portion 16 extends. Moreover, air outlets may be provided only on one side of the conveyor belt (the front side in FIG. 8), or only on the other side of the conveyor belt (the back side in FIG. 8). Furthermore, the number of air outlets on one side and the other side of the conveyor belt may be different or the same.

[0056] (Embodiment 4) In the image acquisition device according to the present disclosure, a conveyor belt for conveying the coins may be provided along the coin conveying direction, and a pressing section for pressing the conveyor belt against the coins may be provided upstream of the concave section in the conveying direction. The distance along the conveying direction between the downstream end of the pressing section and the downstream end of the concave section may be smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin that can be conveyed. The above embodiment will be described below.

[0057] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. 9 shows the conveyor belt 60 shown in FIG. 8, a drive unit 72 which is a pulley that drives the conveyor belt 60, and a pressing unit 71 which is a pulley that presses the conveyor belt 60 against coins. The conveyor belt 60 may rotate by being driven by the drive unit 72. The conveyor belt 60 may move along its rotation path from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction (X direction) near the conveying surface, and may move from the downstream side to the upstream side in the conveying direction (X direction) at a position far from the conveying surface. 9, the pressing portion 71 may be provided on both the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the concave portion 16. In particular, the pressing portion 71 may be provided on the upstream side in the transport direction. FIG. 9 also shows the dirt removing section 20 having a plurality of air outlets 21 that straddle the conveyor belt 60.

[0058] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the positional relationship among the pressing part, the conveyor belt, the concave-shaped part, and the coin. In FIG. 10, a distance X along the conveyance direction between the downstream end 71b of the pressing part 71a provided on the upstream side in the conveyance direction with respect to the concave-shaped part 16 and the downstream end 16e of the concave-shaped part 16 is indicated by a double-headed arrow. Also, in FIG. 10, the diameter R of the coin is indicated by a double-headed arrow.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the distance X along the conveyance direction between the downstream end of the pressing part and the downstream end of the concave-shaped part is smaller than the diameter R of the coin. The conveyor belt 60 is pressed against the coin by the pressing part 71a. When the conveyor belt is pressed against the coin, the conveyance of the coin is stabilized and the coin is prevented from being caught by the concave-shaped part. The pressing of the conveyor belt against the coin by the pressing part is strongest at the lower end of the pressing part, but since the conveyor belt bends, it is considered that a force with which the conveyor belt presses against the coin is also applied at the downstream end of the pressing part (one end when determining the distance of the above double-headed arrow). That is, it is considered that a force with which the conveyor belt presses against the coin is applied at least within the range of the diameter of the pressing part 71a (the range obtained by vertically projecting the entire pressing part 71a onto the conveyance surface).

[0060] When the above relationship of X < R holds, when the downstream end of the coin passes the downstream end of the concave-shaped part, a force with which the conveyor belt presses is still applied to the coin at the downstream end of the pressing part. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the downstream end of the coin from falling into the concave-shaped part and the coin from being caught by the concave-shaped part. As a result, stable conveyance of the coin is achieved even when the concave-shaped part is provided.

[0061] The image acquisition device of the present disclosure can convey a plurality of types of coins having different diameters. As the image acquisition device, the above relationship only needs to hold with the diameter of the smallest-diameter coin that can be conveyed as the diameter R of the coin. Even when conveying a coin having a diameter larger than the diameter of the smallest-diameter coin that can be conveyed, stable conveyance of the coin is achieved.

[0062] (Embodiment 5) In the image acquisition device of the present disclosure, a pair of transport guides may be provided on the cover portion along the coin transport direction, and an air flow path may be provided at a location corresponding to the position of the concave portion on the transport guide that is upstream when air is blown toward the concave portion along the direction in which the concave portion extends. The transport guide may also be provided with a groove that serves as an air flow path and extends in a direction inclined obliquely with respect to the transport surface of the cover portion. The above embodiment will be described below.

[0063] FIG. 11 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the image acquisition device according to the present embodiment. 11 shows transport guides 80a and 80b. The transport guides 80a and 80b may be a pair of members provided along the coin transport direction, and the coins may be transported between the transport guides 80a and 80b along the transport direction. By providing the transport guides, it is possible to prevent the position of the coins from shifting in the direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the transport direction (X direction). The conveying guides 80a and 80b may be arranged on the conveying surface of the conveying path and the conveying surface of the cover portion, and a gap equal to the depth of the concave portion 16 may be provided between the conveying guides 80a and 80b and the bottom surface 16a of the concave portion 16. Although a conveyor belt is not shown in FIG. 11, the image acquisition device may be provided with a conveyor belt similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0064] The distance between the transport guides 80a and 80b can be changed depending on the width (diameter) of the coins to be transported. In the image acquisition device shown in the figure, the position of the transport guide 80a is fixed and the position of the transport guide 80b is variable, and the distance between the transport guides 80a and 80b can be adjusted by changing the position of the transport guide 80b in response to a change in the type of coin to be transported.

[0065] The dirt removal unit 20 may be configured to blow air onto the concave portion 16 along the extension direction of the concave portion 16 from an oblique direction with respect to the conveying surface 15 of the cover unit 14. When the dirt removal unit 20 blows air, the conveying guide 80a is on the upstream side, and the conveying guide 80b is on the downstream side. The upstream transport guide 80a may be provided with a groove 81 serving as an air flow path at a location corresponding to the position of the concave portion 16 (the same location in the transport direction (X direction)). The grooves 81 may be shaped to be inclined in an oblique direction with respect to the conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 in the same manner as the air blowing direction. The position of the groove 81 and the position of the air outlet 21 may be determined so that air flows over the surface of the groove 81. Also, the groove 81 is provided at a position partway through the thickness of the transport guide 80a, and the transport surface side (concave portion 16 side) of the location where the groove 81 is provided is a vertical surface of the transport guide 80a, so that this portion prevents the coins from shifting out of position. By providing the groove 81 at this position, it is possible to prevent dirt such as coin powder from accumulating in the corner of the L-shape formed by the conveying guide 80a and the recessed portion 16.

[0066] As a modified example of the air flow passage, a through hole may be provided in addition to the groove. FIG. 12 is a partially exploded perspective schematic view illustrating an example of the configuration of an image acquisition device in which a through hole is provided in a transport guide as an air flow path. 12, a through hole 82 serving as an air flow path may be provided at a position corresponding to the position of the concave portion 16 of the conveying guide 80a. The through hole 82 may be a through hole extending in a direction inclined obliquely with respect to the conveying surface 15 of the cover part 14, similar to the groove 81 shown in FIG. In this case as well, it is possible to prevent dirt such as coin powder from accumulating in the corner of the L-shape formed by the conveying guide 80a and the recessed portion 16.

[0067] In either case where the air flow path is a groove or a through hole, the width of the air flow path in the transport direction (X direction) may be the same as the width of the concave portion in the transport direction (X direction). The angle that the air flow path makes with the surface (transport surface) of the concave portion may be the same as the angle of the air blown from the dirt removing portion with respect to the transport surface of the cover portion, and may be 30 to 60°, or 40 to 50°. In Figures 11 and 12, the angle is illustrated as 45°.

[0068] Incidentally, since dirt is unlikely to accumulate in the L-shaped corner formed by the downstream transport guide 80b and the recessed portion 16, it is not necessary to provide an air flow path therein.

[0069] (Embodiment 6) In the image acquisition device according to this embodiment, the entire conveying surface of the cover may be lower than the conveying surface of the conveying path. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic diagram of another example of an image acquiring device. In the image acquisition device shown in FIG. 13, cover portion 14 does not cover the entire upper surface of housing portion 13, but covers opening portion 13b which is a part of the upper surface of housing portion 13. The entire conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 is lower than the conveying surfaces (the conveying surfaces 45 and 55) of the conveying path 30. Therefore, the effect of the image acquisition device of the present disclosure is exerted.

[0070] Although the conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 does not have a concave portion, it can be said that the conveying surface 15 is a concave portion in relation to the conveying surfaces 45 and 55 .

[0071] The cover unit 14 is a transparent member such as sapphire glass and can transmit light, but the members constituting the transport paths 40 and 50 on the upstream and downstream sides of the cover unit 14 are opaque members and cannot transmit light. Therefore, the position at which the cover unit 14 is provided is determined to be a position on the optical path from when light is irradiated from the light emitting unit 11 to the coin face of the coin C, until the light reflected from the coin face is received by the image acquiring unit 12.

[0072] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic diagram of still another example of an image acquiring device. The image acquisition device shown in Figure 14 is the same as the image acquisition device shown in Figure 13 in that the cover part 14 does not cover the entire upper surface of the housing part 13, but covers only an opening 13b, which is part of the upper surface of the housing part 13.

[0073] 14, in addition to the cover part 14, a passage member 90 is provided on the upper surface of the housing part 13, and the surface of the coin image sensor unit is formed by combining the cover part 14 and the passage member 90. The surface of the passage member 90 constitutes a conveying surface together with the conveying surface 45 of the conveying path 40 on the upstream side of the coin image sensor and the conveying surface 55 of the conveying path 50 on the downstream side of the coin image sensor.

[0074] 14, the entire conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 is also lower than the conveying surfaces (conveying surfaces 45 and 55) of the conveying path 30. Therefore, the effects of the image acquiring device of the present disclosure are exhibited.

[0075] Although the conveying surface 15 of the cover portion 14 is not provided with a concave portion, it can be said that the conveying surface 15 forms a concave portion in relation to the surface of the passage member 90 .

[0076] The passage member 90 is made of an opaque material. The cover portion 14 is a transparent member such as sapphire glass and can transmit light, but the passage members 90 on the upstream and downstream sides of the cover portion 14 are opaque members and cannot transmit light. Therefore, the position of the cover portion 14 is determined to be a position that forms an optical path from when the light emitting portion 11 irradiates the coin face of the coin C to when the light reflected from the coin face is received by the image acquiring portion 12.

[0077] (Embodiment 7) The image capture device of the present disclosure can be used in a coin identification device or a coin inspection device, and the coin identification device and / or the coin inspection device can be used in a coin processing device. An example of a coin processing device of the present disclosure that includes an image acquisition device of the present disclosure will be described below. FIG. 15 is a perspective view that illustrates an example of a coin processing device. The coin processing device 100 shown in FIG. 15 includes an image capturing device 1, and the conveyance path of the image capturing device 1 is connected to its upstream and downstream.

[0078] The coin processing device 100 comprises a payout unit 111 that receives coins to be processed and pays them out one by one, a conveying path 30 that conveys the coins paid out one by one from the payout unit, and an image capture device 1 that captures images of the coins conveyed by the conveying path.

[0079] The coin processing device also has a coin identifying device and / or a coin inspecting device that identifies and inspects coins based on the coin images obtained by the image capturing device. The coin identifying device and the coin inspecting device are devices that include the image capturing device 1 and constitute a part of the coin processing device 100, but are not shown in FIG. The coin identification device and coin inspection device may be equipped with an identification unit and / or inspection unit and a memory unit for identifying or inspecting the coin's denomination, authenticity, fitness (damage), quality / defectiveness, etc. using the coin image acquired by the image acquisition device 1. The storage unit stores coin information relating to the coins to be processed, and stores coin images (images for identification or inspection) captured by the image acquisition device 1 in conjunction with the processing of the coins. The recognition unit compares the coin information with the recognition image to recognize the type, authenticity, and damage (damage) of the coin. The inspection unit inspects whether the coin is good or defective by comparing the coin information with the inspection image.

[0080] The physical configuration of the identification unit and the inspection unit may include, for example, software programs for implementing various processes, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes the software programs, and various hardware controlled by the CPU (for example, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)). A storage unit, a separate dedicated memory such as RAM or ROM, a hard disk, etc. are used to store the software programs and data required for the operation of each unit.

[0081] The physical configuration of the storage unit may be, for example, a storage device such as a volatile or non-volatile memory, a hard disk, etc. The storage unit is used to store various data necessary for the processing performed by the coin identification device or the coin inspection device.

[0082] The coin processing device may include both a coin identification device and a coin inspection device, or may include only one of the devices. Also, a single device may perform both coin identification and inspection.

[0083] The coin processing device 100 is equipped with a first branching section 114 and a second branching section 115 which branch off coins other than specified coins from the conveying path 30 among coins identified or inspected by the coin identification device or coin inspection device, and a sending section 116 which sends out the specified coins from the conveying path 30.

[0084] The feeding unit 111 receives inserted coins and feeds them one by one to the transport path 30. The conveying path 30 includes a conveying belt 60 for conveying coins, a driving unit 72 for rotating the conveying belt 60, and a pressing unit 71 for pressing the conveying belt 60 so that the conveying belt 60 comes into contact with the coins on the conveying path 30.

[0085] The transport path 30 includes a first transport path 130a and a second transport path 130b that turns at a substantially right angle and extends from the first transport path 130a. In addition, the first conveying path 130a is provided with a first conveying belt 60a arranged along the first conveying path 130a, and the second conveying path 130b is provided with a second conveying belt 60b arranged along the second conveying path 130b. The first conveying belt 60a and the second conveying belt 60b are endless and are, for example, round belts with a circular cross section. A plurality of position detection sensors for detecting the conveying position of the coin on the conveying path 30 are arranged on the conveying path 30.

[0086] In the first conveying path 130a, coins on the first conveying path 130a are conveyed while being biased toward the conveying guide 80a due to the relative relationship between the extending direction of the conveying guide 80a and the tension direction of the first conveying belt 60a. In the second conveying path 130b, coins on the second conveying path 130b are conveyed while being biased toward the conveying guide 80b due to the relative relationship between the extending direction of the conveying guide 80b and the tension direction of the second conveying belt 60b.

[0087] The magnetic sensor 141 magnetically detects the material of the coins transported on the transport path 30. The transport surface on which the magnetic sensor 141 is arranged is formed as an identification surface of a non-magnetic material such as zirconia to enable magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor 141. Note that the upper surface of the identification surface of a non-magnetic material such as zirconia cannot be subjected to a surface treatment to prevent wear due to coins.

[0088] The image acquisition device 1 of the present disclosure is disposed downstream of the magnetic sensor 141 and acquires images of coins conveyed along the conveying path 30 .

[0089] The damage sensor 143 detects the degree of damage to the coin.

[0090] The first branching section 114 branches a rejected coin that is determined to be not to be processed or cannot be identified by the coin identification device or the coin inspection device. The first branching section 114 has a branching hole 151 opened in the bottom plate of the conveying path, and a branching roller 152 arranged on the conveying guide 80b side. The branching hole 151 is provided so that the coin conveyed along the conveying guide 80b can pass through the branching hole 151 with both side edges placed on the bottom plate of the conveying path. The branching roller 152 rotates eccentrically. Then, the branching roller 152 rotates eccentrically and retreats to the outside of the conveying path 30, so that the coin conveyed along the conveying guide 80b passes over the branching hole 151 with both sides placed on the bottom plate. The branching roller 152 rotates eccentrically and protrudes into the conveying path 30, so that the coin conveyed along the conveying guide 80b drops from the bottom plate into the branching hole 151 and is branched.

[0091] The second branching unit 115 branches an abnormal coin that is determined to be of a denomination to be processed by a coin discriminating device or a coin inspecting device but has an abnormality in the marking on the coin surface. The second branching unit 115 has a branching hole 156 opened in the bottom plate of the conveying path, and a branching roller 157 arranged in the branching hole 156. The branching roller 157 rotates eccentrically. Then, the branching roller 157 rotates eccentrically and is positioned in the branching hole 156, so that the coin conveyed along the conveying guide 80a passes over the branching hole 156 with both sides resting on the bottom plate and the branching roller 157. The branching roller 157 rotates eccentrically and moves below the branching hole 156, so that the coin conveyed along the conveying guide 80a falls from above the bottom plate into the branching hole 156 and is branched.

[0092] The sending section 116 also has a sending opening 159 opened in the bottom plate, and a sending guide that guides coins transported to the end of the transport path 30 to the sending opening 159.

[0093] A count sensor unit 161 that counts the coins sent out from the sending unit 116 is disposed on the upstream side of the sending unit 116 in the conveying direction.

[0094] The coin image sensor included in the image acquisition device described in the above embodiments may be an area sensor. Furthermore, the dirt removal section provided in the image acquisition device described in the embodiments so far may be a mechanism for removing dirt by a mechanism other than air blowing, and may be a rotating brush, a paintbrush, or the like.

[0095] Although each embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the configurations of each embodiment may be appropriately combined or modified without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0096] As described above, the present disclosure provides a useful technique for acquiring coin images with high accuracy. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1. Image acquisition device 10 Coin image sensor 11, 11a, 11b Light-emitting part 11c light guide 11d Light-emitting element 11e Holder 11f board 12 Image acquisition section 12a Condenser lens 12b Light receiving sensor 12c Board 13 Housing 13a Ventilation hole 13b Opening of the housing 14 Cover part 14a: Surface of cover portion 15: Conveying surface 16: Concave portion 16a Bottom surface of concave portion 16b Side of concave portion 16c Corner between the bottom surface of the concave portion and the side surface of the concave portion 16d Corner between the side of the concave portion and the surface of the cover portion 16e Downstream end of concave portion 20 Dirt removal section 21 Air outlet 22 Fan 23 Duct 30 Transport Path 40 Coin image sensor upstream conveying path 45 Transport surface 50 Coin conveying path downstream of the image sensor 55 Transport surface 60 Conveyor Belt 71 Pressing part 71a: a pressing portion provided upstream of the concave portion in the conveying direction 71b downstream end of pressing portion 72 Drive unit 80a, 80b Transport guide 81 Groove (air flow passage) 82 Through hole (air flow path) 90 Passageway parts 100 Coin processing device 111 Payout section 114 First Branch 115 Second Branch 116 Transmission Department 130a First conveying path 130b Second conveying path 141 Magnetic Sensor 143 Contamination Sensor 151 Branch hole 152 Diverting roller 156 Branch hole 157 Diverting roller 159 Outlet 161 Count sensor part

Claims

1. A conveying path for conveying coins; a coin image sensor including a light emitting unit that irradiates light onto one coin face of the coin, an image acquiring unit that receives light reflected from the coin face and acquires a coin image, a housing unit that houses the light emitting unit and the image acquiring unit, and a cover unit that covers an opening of the housing unit and has a conveying surface for the coin, An image acquisition device characterized in that at least a portion of a conveying surface of the cover portion is lower than a conveying surface of the conveying path, and a dirt removal portion is provided to remove dirt adhering to the cover portion.

2. The image acquisition device according to claim 1 , wherein the dirt removal unit blows air from an oblique direction relative to the transport surface of the cover unit toward a portion where the transport surface of the cover unit is lower than the transport surface of the transport path.

3. A conveyor belt for conveying the coins is provided along the coin conveying direction, The image acquisition device according to claim 2 , wherein the dirt removal unit includes a plurality of air outlets extending across the conveyor belt.

4. 3. The image acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein a part of a conveying surface of the cover portion is lower than a conveying surface of the conveying path.

5. 3. The image acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein a part of the conveying surface of the cover portion is formed as a concave portion.

6. the coin image sensor is a line sensor; 6. The image acquisition device according to claim 5, wherein the concave portion extends along a main scanning direction of the line sensor.

7. The image acquisition device according to claim 6, characterized in that the image acquisition unit includes a focusing lens that focuses light and a light receiving sensor that receives the light focused by the focusing lens, and the concave portion is located on the optical axis of the focusing lens.

8. The image acquisition device according to claim 6 , wherein the dirt removal unit blows air onto the concave portion along a direction in which the concave portion extends.

9. A pair of conveying guides is provided on the cover along the coin conveying direction, The image acquisition device according to claim 8, characterized in that an air flow path is provided at a location corresponding to the position of the concave portion in a transport guide that is upstream when air is blown to the concave portion along the direction in which the concave portion extends.

10. The image acquisition device according to claim 9 , wherein the transport guide includes a groove that serves as the air flow path and extends in a direction inclined obliquely with respect to the transport surface of the cover portion.

11. The image acquisition device according to claim 5 , wherein a width of the concave portion in the conveying direction is smaller than a diameter of a coin having a minimum diameter that can be conveyed.

12. The image acquisition device according to claim 5 , wherein a width of the concave portion along the conveying direction is smaller than a radius of a coin having a smallest diameter that can be conveyed.

13. A conveyor belt for conveying the coins is provided along the coin conveying direction, The image acquisition device described in claim 5, characterized in that a pressing portion that presses the conveying belt against the coin is provided upstream of the concave portion in the conveying direction, and the distance along the conveying direction between the downstream end of the pressing portion and the downstream end of the concave portion is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin that can be conveyed.

14. A coin identifying device comprising the image capturing device according to claim 1.

15. A coin inspection device comprising the image acquisition device according to claim 1.

16. A coin processing device comprising the coin identifying device according to claim 14 and / or the coin inspecting device according to claim 15.

Images