Coin conveyance device and coin processor

Abstract

To provide a coin conveyance device and a coin processor with a coin conveyance device that can suitably convey coins to a separation unit when multiple coins fed from a feeding port do not stand up on the conveyance belt and are not conveyed to the separation unit.SOLUTION: A coin conveyance device includes a conveyor belt 6 placed at the bottom of a container 5 for storing coins, and separation rollers 9 placed at predetermined intervals relative to the conveyor belt 6, between which the coins pass, to convey the coins lying on the conveyor belt 6 to the next process. Both sides of the conveyor belt 6 are provided with an agitating roller 10 with a plurality of protrusions 11 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the conveyor belt 6. A coin 13 standing up in the container 5 and leaning against the agitating roller 10 contacts the projections 11 of the rotating agitating roller 10, is pushed down onto the conveyor belt 6, and is conveyed between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9 to the next process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coin transporting device that separates and transports coins on a belt one by one, and a coin processing device equipped with the coin transporting device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a coin separating and transporting device that separates and transports a plurality of coins inserted through an insertion slot one by one. For example, a coin separating and transporting device is used in a coin processing device such as an automatic change dispenser. A coin inserted through an insertion slot is placed on a transport belt and transported to a separation section. The coins are separated one by one in the separation section, and then the denominations are identified in a recognition section. The identified coins are stored in a storage section by denomination. The storage section can discharge the stored coins one by one. The coin processing device includes a control section that controls the recognition section and the storage section. Under the control of the control section, the coin processing device can obtain the denomination and number of inserted coins from the recognition result of the recognition section, store the coins in the storage section by denomination, and discharge the coins from the storage section.

[0003] However, in the coin separating and conveying device, there are cases where the circumferential surface of an inserted coin stands up on the conveying belt. As the conveying belt moves, the coin that stands up on the circumferential surface rotates on the conveying belt without falling over, and there is a problem that the coin is not conveyed to the separating section.

[0004] In order to solve such a problem, for example, a coin processing device described in JP 2018-147271 A has been considered. This coin processing device is provided with a screw-shaped member having a helical protrusion on its outer circumferential surface, and a technology is disclosed in which the coin standing on the conveyor belt is moved upstream in the conveying direction by the screw-shaped member. The conveyor belt is provided with a side wall at the side and the upstream end in the conveying direction, and the end is narrowed in a U-shape, and the coin is released from the standing state at the end. The screw-shaped member has a helical protrusion formed over its entire length on its surface. The coin standing on the conveyor belt comes into contact with the rotating helical protrusion and is forcibly moved in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt. In addition, in order to prevent the coin from moving outside the conveying surface through the gap formed along the screw-shaped member, a brush is provided that abuts against the surface of the screw-shaped member and covers the gap. Furthermore, a cover is provided on the outside of the brush, and the cover prevents the coin from jumping out to the outside. The spiral projection has three grooves spaced at a predetermined interval, and the cover has projections at positions corresponding to the grooves, with the distance between the projections set to a distance that prevents coins from passing through.

[0005] The brushes are fixed to a support and positioned above and below the screw-shaped member, and are formed from a flexible material that can be easily deformed by contact with the helical projection so as to allow the helical projection to rotate and move while changing position as the screw-shaped member rotates. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-147271 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The conventional technology is to convey the erected coin by changing the contact position between the helical protrusion and the coin by rotating the screw-shaped member. As the screw-shaped member rotates, the helical protrusion applies a continuous force to the coin from the downstream side to the upstream side in the conveying direction. This moves the coin upstream in the conveying direction.

[0008] The coins used vary in diameter, thickness, and weight depending on the denomination. The shape of the spiral protrusion on the screw-shaped member must be compatible with all of these denominations of coins. In addition, the screw-shaped member must be arranged so that the spiral protrusion comes into contact with various coins with different diameters in the upright state. Furthermore, the spiral protrusion must be made of a material that generates a large frictional force when in contact, in order to move the coins it comes into contact with upstream in the conveying direction. In addition, the brush is in constant contact with the screw-shaped member to prevent the coins from getting between the brush and the screw-shaped member, which causes wear and deformation.

[0009] For example, if the contact position of the spiral protrusion with the coin is set near the center of a coin with a small diameter, the contact position of the spiral protrusion with a coin with a large diameter will be on the lower side of the coin. Conversely, if the contact position of the spiral protrusion with the coin is set near the center of a coin with a large diameter, the contact position of the spiral protrusion with a coin with a small diameter will be on the upper side of the coin. Since the contact position between the coin and the spiral protrusion affects the movement of the coin upstream in the transport direction, in the worst case scenario, it may become difficult for the coin to move upstream in the transport direction.

[0010] The present invention provides a coin transporting device that is highly durable and can suitably tip over coins standing on a transport belt regardless of the shape of the coin, such as its diameter, and a coin processing device equipped with the coin transporting device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The coin transporting device of the present invention comprises a storage section for temporarily storing coins and having an upper opening for inserting the coin, and a bottom opening located at the bottom and narrower than the upper opening, a transport belt located at the bottom of the storage section, closing the bottom opening, and placing and transporting the coin, and a rotor located at a distance from the transport belt, and transports the coin to the next process through the space between the transport belt and the rotor. The coin transporting device has a stirring roller with multiple protrusions on its peripheral surface, and the storage section has an inclined surface between the upper opening and the bottom opening for guiding the coin to the transport belt, and includes a recess at the lower end of the inclined surface for passing the protrusions, and has a side opening corresponding to the contour of the stirring roller, and a part of the peripheral surface of the stirring roller is exposed from the side opening, and the protrusions are protruded from the side opening, and the stirring roller is rotated in conjunction with the transport belt, thereby causing the protrusions to come into contact with the coin stored in the storage section and leaning against the stirring roller in an upright state, thereby pushing down the coin.

[0012] The coin processing device of the present invention is characterized by having the above-mentioned coin transporting device, an identification unit that identifies the denomination of the coins transported one by one by the coin transporting device, and a storage unit that stores the coins identified by the identification unit by denomination. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, the standing state of coins of different shapes on the conveyor belt can be effectively eliminated, the coins can be conveyed to the next process one by one, and the durability can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of the coin processing device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the insertion section. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coin storage section. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view of the coin storage section. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the stirring roller. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the stirring roller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is merely a schematic illustration to the extent that the present invention can be fully understood. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In each drawing, common or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0016] 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a coin processing device. The coin processing device 1 is covered with a substantially rectangular parallelepiped exterior case. The coin processing device 1 is provided with an insertion slot 2 for inserting coins and a tray 3 for receiving coins to be dispensed.

[0017] An insertion slot 2 for inserting coins is located at the front side of the top surface of the exterior case. A tray 3 for receiving coins to be dispensed is located on the front surface of the exterior case. A payment slot 4 that passes through the inside and outside of the coin processing device 1 is provided at a position corresponding to the tray 3 on the front surface of the exterior case. Coins to be dispensed are sent to the tray 3 via the payment slot 4.

[0018] For example, the coin processing device 1 is a device for depositing and dispensing coins, such as an automatic change machine or an automatic currency exchange machine. The denomination and number of coins inserted into the coin slot 2 are obtained by a control unit (not shown), and are stored in a storage unit by denomination. The control unit can calculate and obtain the total amount of the inserted coins. The control unit calculates the denomination and number of coins to be paid out from the amount to be paid out, and controls the coin hopper in the storage unit to dispense the coins. The dispensed coins are sent to tray 3.

[0019] Coins of multiple denominations are inserted into the insertion slot 2 in a mixed state. The inserted coins are temporarily stored in the insertion section and transported to the separation section for the next process, which is arranged inside the coin processing device 1. The coins are then separated one by one, their denominations are identified, and they are stored in the storage section for each denomination and reused. If a problem occurs inside the device, the exterior of the device must be removed to solve the problem, which takes time for maintenance. For this reason, a configuration that does not cause problems inside the device is desired. Even if a large number of coins are inserted, the coins are transported while limiting the amount of coins to be transported so that problems do not occur in the processing of the next process. The insertion section also has a function of keeping the posture of the transported coins almost constant. For example, the posture of the coins is lying on the conveyor belt 6.

[0020] Next, the coin transport device will be described. The insertion unit is a coin transport device that transports multiple inserted coins to the next process while limiting the amount of coins transported. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the insertion unit.

[0021] The container 5 has openings at the top and bottom. A plurality of coins 14 inserted into the top opening at the top of the container 5 are temporarily stored in the container 5. The conveyor belt 6 forms the bottom surface of the container 5 and is arranged so as to close the bottom opening of the container 5. The conveyor belt 6 is wound around a drive roller 7 and a driven roller 8. The conveyor belt 6 is arranged at an incline so that the separation roller 9 side is higher in the vertical direction. The conveyor belt 6 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 7. The separation roller 9 is spaced apart from the conveyor belt 6 above the drive roller 7. The rotation axis of the drive roller 7 and the rotation axis of the separation roller 9 are arranged parallel to each other.

[0022] The conveyor belt 6 conveys the placed coins 14 in the direction of the separation roller 9, that is, in the conveying direction indicated by the arrow. The interval between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9 is a distance that allows one or two coins 14 lying on the conveyor belt 6 to pass through when they are overlapped. That is, the interval between the separation roller 9 and the conveyor belt 6 is set to be equal to or smaller than the thickness of two coins. For example, the interval between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9 is set to allow one coin of the maximum thickness among the coins used to pass through. In that case, thin coins can pass through in a state where two coins are overlapped. The amount of coins to be conveyed can be regulated by the interval between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. A coin 13 standing on the conveyor belt 6 cannot pass between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. The separation roller 9 is a rotating body that rotates against the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 6, and can be replaced by a rotating body such as a belt. Even if two coins are stacked, if they are tilted significantly and their height from the conveyor belt 6 exceeds a certain height, the coin 14 is repelled by the separation roller 9 and cannot pass between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. The coin 15 shown by the dashed line is in the middle of passing between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9, and shows the state of the coin just before it is transported to the next process from the state where it is lying on the conveyor belt 6. The conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9 limit the amount of coins that are transported and also correct the posture of the coins that are transported.

[0023] The coin sensor 12 is a sensor that detects the presence or absence of coins on the conveyor belt 6. A plurality of coin sensors 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 6. By using a plurality of sensors, it is possible to detect coins on the conveyor belt 6 evenly.

[0024] The stirring roller 10 has a plurality of protrusions 11 on its surface. The stirring roller 10 rotates in conjunction with the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. Like the upright coin 13, a coin may stand up on the conveyor belt 6. For example, the coin may rotate in tandem with the conveyor belt 6 and be unable to move to the separation roller 9 side, or may be leaning against the stirring roller 10. The upright coin 13 cannot pass between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. Therefore, the stirring roller 10 is rotated to bring the protrusions 11 into contact with the upright coin 13, thereby eliminating the upright state. Since the stirring roller 10 is brought into contact with the upright coin 13, it is preferable that it has high durability. For example, it is preferable that it is made of a resin such as a wear-resistant hard engineering plastic, or a metal such as an iron alloy or an aluminum alloy. For example, the stirring roller 10 is made of polyacetal resin.

[0025] The control means 16 includes a CPU and a memory (not shown), and operates according to a program stored in the memory to control the device.

[0026] The sensor driving means 17 is controlled by the control means 16, acquires detection results from the multiple coin sensors 12 connected to it, and outputs them to the control means 16. The control means 16 performs various controls based on the acquired sensor detection results. For example, the control means 16 determines whether there is a coin on the conveyor belt 6, and controls the drive of the conveyor belt 6 accordingly.

[0027] The motor 18 is operated under the control of the control means 16. The motor 18 is connected to the drive roller 7, the separation roller 9, and the stirring roller 10 via a transmission means 19 including a plurality of gears. For example, the transmission means 19 is a gear mechanism including a plurality of gears. The motor 18 can be rotated forward or backward under the control of the control means 16. The conveyor belt 6 can be driven in the forward conveying direction or in the reverse direction, and the separation roller 9 and the stirring roller 10 can also be driven in the forward or reverse direction.

[0028] The timer 20 operates and measures time under the control of the control means 16. The control means 16 can obtain the time measured by the timer 20 and use it for control. For example, the motor 18 can be driven for a predetermined time under the control of the control means 16.

[0029] Next, the configuration of the coin storage section will be described with reference to Figs.

[0030] First, a description will be given with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coin storage section.

[0031] The storage section for temporarily storing inserted coins includes a container 5. The periphery of the container 5 is formed by a resin wall. An upper opening is formed by a frame 21. The bottom opening is narrower than the upper opening, and the container 5 has an inclined surface. The inserted coins are guided by the wall of the container 5 and placed on the conveyor belt 6. The length of the separation roller 9 is longer than the width of the conveyor belt 6, and the separation roller 9 is disposed so as to cover the entire width above the conveyor belt 6.

[0032] The container 5 has side walls arranged opposite each other on both sides of the width of the conveyor belt 6, and an upstream wall including an upstream inclined portion 23, an upstream standing portion 28 and an upstream connection portion 30 is arranged on the upstream side of the conveyor belt 6 in the conveying direction, and a separation roller 9 and a downstream inclined portion 25 are arranged on the downstream side of the conveyor belt 6 in the conveying direction.

[0033] The upstream side upright portion 28 is provided approximately perpendicular to the conveyor belt 6 and has a curved portion that is U-shaped when viewed from above. The upstream side inclined portion 23 is a slope that is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the upstream side upright portion 28. The upstream side connection portion 30 has a curved surface and smoothly connects the upstream side inclined portion 23 and the upstream side upright portion 28. The upstream side inclined portion 23 is a slope for dropping coins in the direction of the conveyor belt 6. The upstream side upright portion 28 has a notch at its end on the conveyor belt 6 side. The coin sensor 12 detects coins on the conveyor belt 6 through the notch. The downstream side inclined portion 25 is also a slope for dropping coins in the direction of the conveyor belt 6.

[0034] One side of the side wall of the container 5 is provided with a first standing portion 26, a second standing portion 27, a first inclined portion 22, a third standing portion 32, and a first connecting portion 29. The first standing portion 26 is provided with a notch at the end on the conveyor belt 6 side. The coin sensor 12 detects coins on the conveyor belt 6 through the notch. The first standing portion 26 is inclined on the conveyor belt 6 side so that the bottom opening is wider. The second standing portion 27 is perpendicular to the conveyor belt 6. The first standing portion 26 and the second standing portion 27 are connected.

[0035] The first inclined portion 22 is an inclined surface disposed at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the second upright portion 27. The first inclined portion 22 and the second upright portion 27 are smoothly connected by a first connection portion 29 having a curved surface. A third upright portion 32 is provided between the first inclined portion 22 and the frame portion 21 in the vertical direction of the frame portion 21.

[0036] The other side of the side wall is provided with a second inclined portion 24 at a position opposite to the first inclined portion 22. The first inclined portion 22 and the second inclined portion 24 have different inclination angles. One side of the side wall and the other side have the same configuration except that the inclination angles of the first inclined portion 22 and the second inclined portion 24 are different.

[0037] The container 5 can store many coins by having an inclined surface and a surface perpendicular to the conveyor belt 6. In addition, the inserted coins are guided onto the conveyor belt 6 by the inclined surface.

[0038] Between the first inclined portion 22 and the second standing portion 27, the stirring roller 10 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the container 5. The stirring roller 10 is also arranged along the lower end of the first inclined portion 22. A plurality of protrusions 11 are arranged on the surface of the stirring roller 10. By rotating the stirring roller 10, the protrusions 11 are brought into contact with the erected coins 13. The erected coins 13 are pushed down by the protrusions 11. The stirring roller 10 can also stir the inserted coins. When the conveyor belt 6 is rotating in the normal direction, the stirring roller 10 moves the protrusions 11 exposed from the container 5 from above to below. The erected coins 13 are pushed from above and fall onto the conveyor belt 6. The first standing portion 26 arranged on the lower side of the stirring roller 10 is arranged so that the conveyor belt 6 side spreads outward, so that the erected coins 13 cannot lean against the first standing portion 26.

[0039] The second standing portion 27 is disposed on the lower side of the stirring roller 10, and the first standing portion 26 is disposed below the second standing portion 27. The edge of the second standing portion 27 on the stirring roller 10 side is disposed closer to the center of the width direction of the conveyor belt 6 in a top view than the edge of the first standing portion 26 on the conveyor belt 6 side. That is, a recess is provided on the lower wall portion of the stirring roller 10 so that the coin cannot lean against the lower wall portion. By disposing the stirring roller 10 along the lower end of the first inclined portion 22, the upright coin 13 is prevented from leaning against the first inclined portion 22. The upright coin 13 leans against the stirring roller 10 protruding from the first inclined portion 22. This is configured similarly on the second inclined portion 24 side.

[0040] The first inclined portion 22 and the second upright portion 27 are provided with a side opening of the container 5 that exposes the stirring roller 10 and a part of the protrusion 11. This side opening is provided at the lower end of the first inclined portion 22 and is an opening with a shape corresponding to the contour of the stirring roller 10. This side opening is provided with a recess 31 corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 11, and the protrusion 11 can pass through it. The stirring roller 10 is arranged on an extension line of the first connecting portion 29. The stirring roller 10 is arranged so as not to come into contact with the side opening whether in a stationary state or a rotating state. The gap between the stirring roller 10 and the side opening is very small, so that coins and dust do not enter. The side opening and the stirring roller 10 are arranged at the lower end portion of the first inclined portion 22, which is the portion where the inclination of the container 5 changes. The stirring roller 10 can make a coin that can lean against the first inclined portion 22 lean against the stirring roller 10.

[0041] In addition, the mutual interval and height of the protrusions 11 are adjusted so that the raised coin 13 abuts against a portion of the stirring roller 10 where there are no protrusions 11. It is preferable to widen the interval between at least one pair of protrusions 11 in the rotation axis direction of the stirring roller 10. Since the conveyor belt 6 is inclined, this must also be taken into consideration. For example, at the center of the axial direction of the stirring roller 10, the distance between the protrusions 11 in the rotation axis direction of the stirring roller 10 is preferably equal to or greater than the height from the conveyor belt 6 to the center of rotation of the stirring roller 10. For example, when a coin with the maximum diameter to be used is raised, the center of the coin is set to the height of the center of rotation of the stirring roller 10. At this time, it is preferable that the distance between the protrusions 11 is equal to or greater than the diameter of the coin. For example, when the maximum size of the coin to be used is about 30 mm, it is preferable to set the protrusions 11 in the rotation axis direction of the stirring roller 10 35 mm to 40 mm apart. For example, the raised coin 13 shown by the solid line leans against the protrusions 11 of the stirring roller 10 and stands up. The upright coin 13 shown by the dashed line leans against the surface of the stirring roller 10 and stands without touching the protrusions 11. By transitioning the protrusions 11 from a state where they are not in contact with the coin 13 that is upright leaning against the stirring roller 10 to a state where they are in contact, the height of the protrusions 11 from the surface of the stirring roller 10 can be effectively applied to the upright coin 13.

[0042] The protrusions 11 do not necessarily have to correspond to the recesses 31. For example, the stirring roller 10 may be provided with protrusions so that the recesses 31 through which the protrusions 11 pass and the recesses 31 through which they do not pass alternate with each other. In addition, the heights of all the protrusions 11 from the surface of the stirring roller 10 may be constant or different. For example, the heights of two protrusions passing through the same recess 31 may be different. In addition, the heights of adjacent protrusions in the longitudinal direction of the stirring roller 10 may be different. By making the protrusions 11 different in height, the contact position and timing with the upright coin 13 can be made different, which may make the upright coin 13 more likely to fall. In addition, the intervals between adjacent protrusions 11 may be random or equal.

[0043] Next, Fig. 4 is a top view of the coin storage section. The frame section 21 that forms the upper opening of the container 5 is approximately rectangular, and the bottom opening is approximately U-shaped. Between the frame section 21 and the conveyor belt 6, a first inclined section 22, an upstream inclined section 23, a second inclined section 24, and a downstream inclined section 25 are arranged. The coins that enter the frame section 21 are guided onto the conveyor belt 6 by each inclined section.

[0044] The lower ends of the first inclined portion 22 and the second inclined portion 24 are provided with side openings that expose the stirring roller 10, and the side openings are provided with recesses 31 that allow the protrusions 11 to pass through. The upright coin 13 is pushed by the protrusions 11 provided on the surface of the stirring roller 10 and falls onto the conveyor belt 6. The fallen coin 14 is transported to the conveyor belt 6, passes between the separation roller 9 and the conveyor belt 6, and is sent to the next process.

[0045] The stirring roller 10 is disposed opposite the lower end of the inclined surface on both sides of the conveyor belt 6. The first inclined portion 22 and the second inclined portion 24 have different inclination angles, but the stirring roller 10 is disposed parallel to them. When the stirring roller 10 is rotated, the protrusion 11 can push the upright coin 13 down in a direction away from the stirring roller 10 and stir the inserted coin. Even if the protrusion 11 cannot come into contact with the upright coin 13 and directly knock it down, the stirring roller 10 can change the position of the upright coin 13. As a result, the coin cannot continue to maintain the upright state after that.

[0046] Next, the stirring roller 10 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the stirring roller, and is a side view of the stirring roller 10.

[0047] The shaft 33 is a rotating shaft, and is connected to the transmission means 19 described in FIG. 2 and rotates. The end of the shaft 33 is provided with a flat surface to prevent slippage when connected to the transmission means 19. The end of the shaft 33 opposite to the end provided with the flat surface is rotatably supported by a bearing. The stirring roller 10 is formed by the shaft 33 and the stirring part. The stirring part is approximately cylindrical and fixed to the shaft 33. The first stirring part 34 and the second stirring part 35 are approximately semi-cylindrical, and are connected to each other to form an approximately cylindrical shape. The stirring roller 10 is configured by sandwiching the shaft 33 between the first stirring part 34 and the second stirring part 35, connecting them to form an approximately cylindrical shape, and further fixing both ends of the stirring part with the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37, which are approximately cylindrical. The first stirring portion 34 and the second stirring portion 35 can be considered to be the main body portion that constitutes the main part of the stirring roller 10, and the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37 can be considered to be the engagement portions that engage with the main body portion and secure the main body portion.

[0048] The first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37 have two equally spaced projections 11 on their circumferential surfaces. The end of the first stirring section 34 has a first half projection 38, and the end of the second stirring section 35 has a second half projection 39. When the first stirring section 34 and the second stirring section 35 are connected, the first half projection 38 and the second half projection 39 are connected. The first half projection 38 and the second half projection 39 are connected to each other to form the shape of the projection 11. The first half projection 38 is arranged in two places on one end of the first stirring section 34, and the first half projection 38 is also arranged in two places on the other end, and the second half projection 39 is arranged at the end of the second stirring section 35, corresponding to the first half projection 38.

[0049] The protrusions 11 of the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37 are arranged so as to be adjacent to the protrusions 11 at both ends of the stirring part in the axial direction of the shaft 33. By arranging the protrusion 11 formed by the first half protrusion 38 and the second half protrusion 39 and the protrusions 11 of the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37 adjacent to each other, it is possible to use it as a mark when attaching the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37 and to reinforce the protrusion 11 formed by the first half protrusion 38 and the second half protrusion 39 arranged at the ends.

[0050] The protrusion 11 has a vertex 40 that is the furthest from the surface of the stirring roller 10, and an inclined surface around the vertex 40. The protrusion 11 has a curved surface that gradually becomes higher in an arc shape from the surface of the stirring roller 10 to the vertex 40 along the axial direction of the shaft 33. The curved surfaces of the protrusion 11 are a first curved portion 41 and a second curved portion 42, sandwiching the vertex 40. The longitudinal direction of the shaft 33 can also be said to be the direction of the rotation axis. The protrusion 11 has a first flat portion 43 and a second flat portion 44 that are flat and gradually become higher from the surface to the vertex 40 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the shaft 33, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 33. The boundary between the surface of the stirring roller 10 and the first flat portion 43 is a straight line parallel to the axial direction of the shaft 33, and is formed so as to gradually become higher from the boundary toward the vertex 40. The same is true for the second flat portion 44. In other words, when the stirring roller 10 rotates, this boundary is arranged perpendicular to the direction of rotation. The first flat portion 43 or the second flat portion 44 of the protrusion 11 comes into contact with the coin. The protrusion 11 is composed of a flat surface and a curved surface that are inclined so as to gradually increase in height toward the apex portion 40 so that the coin does not get caught on the protrusion 11. Moreover, the protrusions 11 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the shaft 33, except for the end portion of the stirring roller 10, are arranged at intervals of at least three protrusions 11. Moreover, the protrusions 11 are arranged at intervals in the rotation direction of the stirring roller 10. For example, the protrusions 11 are arranged at opposing positions on the circumferential surface of the stirring roller 10. It is possible to provide an opportunity for the protrusions 11 to come into contact with the coin twice during one rotation of the stirring roller 10. It is preferable that the protrusions 11 of the stirring roller 10 exposed from the side opening pass through the same recess 31 (see FIG. 3) only one. By separating the protrusions 11 in the circumferential direction of the stirring roller 10, it is possible to provide an area where the coin can come into contact with the surface of the stirring roller 10.

[0051] When many coins are in the container 5, the coins are stirred by the rotating stirring roller 10. The first flat portion 43 repeatedly pushes the randomly stacked coins from above to below. By making the angle of the first flat portion 43 to the surface of the stirring roller 10 acute, it is possible to push the coins without getting caught by the stacked coins. If the angle is large, the first flat portion 43 is more likely to catch on the coins, and if the angle is small, the length of the first flat portion 43 becomes long, so the angle is preferably 10 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less, and more preferably 25 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less. In the example of FIG. 5, the angle is 30 degrees. If the protrusion 11 is made too high from the surface of the stirring roller 10, the stroke of pushing the coins becomes large, and the coins directly pushed may get caught on other coins, resulting in poor rotation. If the height of the protrusion 11 is too low or too high, it is not possible to properly knock the coins down or stir them. Therefore, it is preferable that the height of the protrusions 11 from the surface of the stirring roller 10 is a predetermined height, for example, a height that is equal to or greater than the maximum thickness of the inserted coin and is equal to or less than three times the maximum thickness of the inserted coin. For example, the height can be set to about the same as the distance between the conveyor belt 6 and the separation roller 9. The same is true for the second flat portion 44, the first curved portion 41, and the second curved portion 42, and it is preferable that the angle formed by the surface of the stirring roller 10 and the inclined surface is an acute angle.

[0052] When the stirring roller 10 is rotated, the coin that has come into contact with the second flat portion 44 may come into contact with the apex portion 40. The apex portion 40 can come into contact with the coin by the width from the second flat portion 44 to the first flat portion 43. Since the apex portion 40 is the farthest from the center of rotation of the stirring roller 10, when pushing down a coin, it is more reliable to make the contact time between the apex portion 40 and the coin longer. The same is true when stirring an inserted coin. If the protrusion 11 is rotated 90 degrees on the surface of the stirring roller 10, the first flat portion 43 and the second flat portion 44 are arranged in the axial direction. In this case, the coin may only come into contact with the apex portion 40 for an instant, and may be pushed back by the effect of vibration or the like, making it impossible to knock down the coin.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the structure of the stirring roller. This shows a state in which the second locking ring 37 has been removed from the stirring roller 10. By removing the first locking ring 36 and the second locking ring 37, the first stirring section 34 and the second stirring section 35 can be removed from the shaft 33. The first locking section 46 is a portion that protrudes from the end of the first stirring section 34 and engages with the second locking ring 37. The opposite end of the first stirring section 34 also has a portion that engages with the first locking ring 36. The second locking section 47 is a portion that protrudes from the end of the second stirring section 35 and engages with the second locking ring 37. The opposite end of the second stirring section 35 also has a portion that engages with the first locking ring 36.

[0054] The first locking portion 46 has a locking groove 45, and although not shown, the second locking portion 47 also has a locking groove 45. A convex portion is formed on the inner circumference of the second locking ring 37 at a position corresponding to the locking groove 45. The second locking ring 37 can be fixed to the first stirring portion 34 and the second stirring portion 35 by inserting the combined first stirring portion 34 and the second stirring portion 35 into the second locking ring 37 and fitting the convex portion on the inner circumference of the second locking ring 37 into the locking groove 45. The first locking ring 36 has a similar configuration, and the first locking ring 36 can be fixed to the first stirring portion 34 and the second stirring portion 35. In this way, by dividing the stirring portion into multiple parts and configuring them to be fixed to the shaft 33, the stirring portion can be easily fixed to the shaft 33, and the structure can be simplified, making it easier to manufacture. By configuring the stirring unit in this manner, if a part of the stirring unit is damaged or if the stirring unit needs to be replaced to suit the different types of coins in each country, the part to be replaced can be part of the stirring unit.

[0055] Next, the conveyance control will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The control means 16 can monitor the output of the coin sensor 12 by the sensor driving means 17 and obtain the presence or absence of coins on the conveyor belt 6. The control means 16 can measure and obtain time by the timer 20. The control means 16 controls the driving of the motor 18 and can rotate the conveyor belt 6 forward or backward. The stirring roller 10 rotates in conjunction with the conveyor belt 6. If a coin is still on the conveyor belt 6 even after rotating the conveyor belt 6 forward for a first predetermined time, the control means 16 executes a standing upright resolution process.

[0056] In the standing upright cancellation process, the conveyor belt 6 is rotated in the reverse direction for a second predetermined time shorter than the first predetermined time, and then the conveyor belt 6 is rotated forward for a third predetermined time shorter than the first predetermined time. The second predetermined time is the time for the conveyor belt 6 to rotate at least half a turn. This is for moving the coins on the separation roller 9 side to the end of the container on the upstream side in the conveying direction. The coins whose standing upright state is not canceled are moved to the end of the container on the upstream side in the conveying direction. The shape of the end narrows to a U-shape and has an inclined surface. The standing upright state is canceled by moving the coins in the standing upright state along the shape of the end. The third predetermined time is preferably set to be equal to or longer than the second predetermined time. Since the coins leaning against the stirring roller 10 can be knocked down by the stirring roller 10, it is preferable to set the third predetermined time to be a time sufficient to pass the coins collected at the end through the separation roller 9. For example, the third predetermined time is the time for the conveyor belt 6 to rotate at least once.

[0057] Furthermore, once the standing elimination process is completed, the roller is rotated forward for a first predetermined time. This operation is performed a predetermined number of times. If the coins do not disappear from the conveyor belt 6 even after the standing elimination process is performed, the second predetermined time and the third predetermined time are lengthened and the standing elimination process is performed again. It is preferable that the second predetermined time and the third predetermined time are set to at least twice the initially set time. By repeatedly performing the standing elimination process, it is possible to reduce or eliminate abnormalities in the conveyance of coins to the next process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Coin processing device 2 Inlet 3 Tray 4 Withdrawal port 5 containers 6 Conveyor belt 7 Drive roller 8 Driven roller 9 Separation roller 10 Stirring roller 11 Protrusions 12 Coin Sensor 13 Standing Coin 14 Coins 21 Frame 22 1st slope part 23 Upstream slope 24 2nd slope part 25 Downstream slope 26 First Stand 27 Second Stand 28 Upstream side vertical section 29 First connection part 30 Upstream connection 31 Recess 32 Third Section 33 Axis 34 1st stirring section 35 2nd stirring section 36 First locking ring 37 Second locking ring 38 1st semi-process 39 Second half process 40 Apex 41 First curved section 42 Second curved section 43 1st flat part 44 2nd flat part 45 Locking groove 46 First locking part 47 Second locking part

Claims

1. a storage section for temporarily storing coins and including an upper opening for inserting the coins and a bottom opening located at the bottom and narrower than the upper opening; a conveyor belt disposed at the bottom of the storage unit, closing the bottom opening, and conveying the coins placed thereon; a rotating body disposed at a distance from the conveyor belt, A coin conveying device that conveys the coin to a next process through a gap between the conveying belt and the rotating body, A stirring roller having a plurality of protrusions on its circumferential surface, the storage section has an inclined surface between the top opening and the bottom opening for guiding the coins to the conveyor belt, The lower end of the inclined surface includes a recess for passing the protrusion and has a side opening corresponding to the contour of the stirring roller; A part of the circumferential surface of the stirring roller is exposed from the side opening, and the protrusion is protruded from the side opening. This coin transport device is characterized in that by rotating the stirring roller in conjunction with the transport belt, the coin stored in the storage section and leaning against the stirring roller in an upright position is abutted against the protrusion, thereby pushing the coin down.

2. 2. The coin conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has an inclined flat surface that gradually becomes higher from the peripheral surface in the direction of rotation of the stirring roller, and the flat surface is brought into contact with the coin standing on the conveying belt.

3. The coin conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that the protrusion has a curved surface that gradually becomes higher from the peripheral surface in the direction of the rotation axis of the stirring roller, and the edge of the flat surface and the edge of the curved surface are connected.

4. The plurality of protrusions are disposed apart from each other in the rotation axis direction and the rotation direction of the stirring roller, A coin conveying device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the spacing between at least one pair of adjacent protrusions in the direction of the rotation axis of the stirring roller is more than twice the height from the conveying belt to the center of rotation of the stirring roller.

5. 4. The coin transport device according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is arranged opposite the storage section, and the stirring rollers arranged on both inclined surfaces are arranged in parallel.

6. A coin conveying device as described in claim 5, characterized in that it has a wall portion between the stirring roller and the conveying belt that forms part of the storage section, and when viewed from above, the end portion on the stirring roller side is closer to the center of the conveying belt than the end portion on the conveying belt side.

7. 4. The coin transporting device according to claim 1, wherein the agitating roller is provided with two or more of the protrusions, each of which has a different height from the surface of the agitating roller.

8. The stirring roller includes a rotating shaft and a stirring portion having the protrusion fixed to the periphery of the rotating shaft, The stirring unit includes two semi-cylindrical body portions and a locking portion that engages with an end of the body portion. A coin transport device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two main body parts are connected on either side of the rotating shaft, and the ends of the connected main body parts are engaged with the engaging part to fix the main body parts to the rotating shaft.

9. The coin transport device as described in claim 8, characterized in that the ends of the two main body parts are provided with protrusions that are two halves of the protrusion, and the protrusion is formed by connecting the two main body parts to connect the two halves of the protrusion.

10. The locking portion is provided with the protrusion, The coin transport device according to claim 9, characterized in that the protrusion formed by connecting the two divided protrusions of the main body portion and the protrusion provided on the engaging portion are adjacent to each other in the direction of the rotation axis.

11. If the coin remains on the conveyor belt even after the conveyor belt is rotated forward for a first predetermined time, A coin transport device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conveying belt is rotated in a reverse direction for a second predetermined time period shorter than the first predetermined time period, the coins on the conveying belt are collected on the side opposite the rotating body, and after the reversal, the conveying belt is rotated in a forward direction for a time period shorter than the first predetermined time period but equal to or longer than the second predetermined time period, and the coins on the conveying belt are agitated.

12. The coin transport device according to claim 1 ; An identification unit that identifies the denomination of the coins transported one by one by the coin transport device; a storage unit that stores the coins identified by the identification unit by denomination.

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