Settlement machine

Abstract

To provide a settlement machine that prevents damage to a coin recovery port.SOLUTION: A settlement machine 1 according to the present invention includes a coin insertion port 15, a coin recovery port 17, and a coin chute member 19. The coin chute member 19 is tubular, provided between the coin insertion port 15 and the coin recovery port 17, and sequentially includes, from top to bottom, an upper vertical section 25, a U-shaped inclined section 27 projecting in one direction, a lower vertical section 29, and a lower inclined section 31 projecting in the other direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a payment machine. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Supermarkets, convenience stores, and other places have payment machines that allow customers to pay for products themselves. In such a payment machine, when payment is made by inserting banknotes or coins, there is a risk that the coin collection port that receives the inserted coins may be damaged by falling coins. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a teller machine that can prevent damage to the coin collection port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The invention described in claim 1 is a settlement machine comprising a coin insertion port, a coin recovery port, and a coin chute member, the coin chute member being tubular and arranged between the coin insertion port and the coin recovery port, and having an upper vertical portion, a L-shaped inclined portion protruding in one direction, a lower vertical portion, and a lower inclined portion protruding in another direction, arranged in sequence from top to bottom. [Effects of the Invention]

[0005] According to the invention described in claim 1, the coin chute member can slow down the falling speed of coins by using a L-shaped inclined portion protruding in one direction and a lower inclined portion protruding in the other direction, thereby preventing damage to the coin collection port due to falling coins. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are diagrams of a coin chute member according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a bottom view. [Figure 2]1A and 1B are diagrams of a payment machine, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a plan view. [Figure 3] 10A, 10B, and 10C are diagrams of a coin chute member according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a bottom view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a settlement machine 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0008] As shown in Figure 2, the payment machine 1 according to this embodiment is installed in a supermarket or the like and allows customers to pay by themselves. This payment machine 1 is equipped with a POS (point of sale) system, which records the amount and time of sale of goods, monetary transaction information, etc. The settlement machine 1 is provided with a main body 3, a POS monitor 5, and a POS communication terminal 7. The main body 3 is provided with a bill and coin changer 9 for receiving and paying out bills, and a coin changer 11 for receiving and paying out coins.

[0009] The settlement machine 1 is provided with a coin insertion port 15 provided on the top surface 3a of the main body 3, a coin recovery port 17 for receiving coins inserted from the coin insertion port 15, and a coin chute member 19 provided between the coin insertion port 15 and the coin recovery port 17. The coin collection port 17 is provided in the coin change machine 11, and the received coins are placed on a conveyor belt 21 (see FIG. 1) and the amount of the received money is counted by a counter (not shown) located behind the coin collection port 17. The coin change machine 11 counts the coins received at the coin collection port 17 and, if there is change, releases the change into a change receiver 23.

[0010] Next, the coin chute member 19 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The coin chute member 19 is a tubular member (pipe) provided between the coin insertion slot 15 located above and the coin recovery slot 17 located below. The outer diameter of the pipe used was approximately 38 mm. In this first embodiment, the coin chute member 19 is a substantially cylindrical member obtained by cutting a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe with a thickness of approximately 3.0 mm to a predetermined dimension, and the end faces of the substantially cylindrical member are cut at a predetermined angle and the middle portion is bent to form identical units U1 to U3. The coin chute member 19 is manufactured using identical units U1 to U3. Details of the units U1 to U3 will be described later.

[0011] First, the overall configuration of the coin chute member 19 will be described with reference to FIG. The coin chute member 19 is provided with an upper vertical portion 25, a V-shaped inclined portion 27, a lower vertical portion 29, and a lower inclined portion 31 in this order from top to bottom. The upper vertical portion 25 has an upper end 25a disposed below the coin slot 15 and facing the coin slot 15. The upper end 25a is a circular opening in plan view. 1(b), the lower side of upper vertical portion 25 is bent rearward at an angle R7, and R7 is approximately 120 degrees. In this embodiment, an upper inclined portion 27a (described later) of L-shaped inclined portion 27 is integrally formed on the lower side of upper vertical portion 25. A screw insertion hole 24a is formed on the rear side of the upper vertical portion 25 for fixing to the main body 3 with a screw (not shown), and a driver insertion hole 24b is formed on the front side corresponding to the screw insertion hole 24a for operating the screw with a screwdriver.

[0012] The V-shaped inclined portion 27 is formed to protrude in one direction. As shown by the dashed line d in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, the one direction is the rear side when viewed from the front (see Fig. 2(b)). The V-shaped inclined portion 27 is formed into a V-shape by an upper inclined portion 27a and a lower inclined portion 27b, and the inclination angle R1 of the V-shape formed by the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b is about 60 degrees. Lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a is a horizontal surface facing downward, and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b is a horizontal surface facing upward, and lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b are each cut at an angle of R2. R2 is half of R1, or approximately 30 degrees. As is clear from FIG. 1, lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b are connected by overlapping their horizontal surfaces. An anti-entrapment protrusion 27g is provided on the rear end of the L-shaped inclined portion 27, protruding into the cylinder above the upper inclined portion 27a and forward of the rear end 27h. The anti-entrapment protrusion 27g prevents coins K that have fallen from the upper vertical portion 25 from getting stuck in the rear end 27h. The anti-entrapment protrusion 27g is made of, for example, a resin rivet.

[0013] In the first embodiment, as described above, the upper side of the upper inclined portion 27a and the upper vertical portion 25 are continuous, the rear end 27f is cut at an angle of R2, and the middle portion is bent at an angle of R7, but the R7 bending is achieved by applying heat, and the upper vertical portion 25 and the upper inclined portion 27a form an integral upper unit U1.

[0014] The front side of the lower inclined portion 27b of the dogleg-shaped inclined portion 27 is bent at an angle R8 to form a downward-facing tube, which serves as the upper member 29a of the lower vertical portion 29. The angle R8 is achieved by applying heat in the same manner as the bend R7 of the upper unit U1 described above, and the bending angle is 120 degrees, the same as R7. The lower vertical portion 29 is divided into two parts, an upper member 29a and a lower member 29b, and the lower end 29d of the upper member 29a and the upper end 29f of the lower member 29b are connected by horizontal cut surfaces (circular cross sections when viewed from above). A strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 is attached to the upper member 29a and the lower member 29b, straddling the lower end 29d and the upper end 29f. In this embodiment, the lower inclined portion 27b of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the lower vertical portion 29 are integrated with the upper member 29a to form a middle unit U2, which has the same type of shape and dimensions as the above-mentioned upper unit U1. A lower inclined portion 31 that protrudes in another direction at an angle R9 is integrally formed on the lower side of the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29. As shown in Fig. 1(a), the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes in the other direction, which is a direction different from the one direction in which the L-shaped inclined portion 27 protrudes, and in this embodiment, it is the left side when viewed from the front (see dashed line d and Fig. 2(a)).

[0015] The lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31 is connected to the upper surface of the horizontal substrate 35. The lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31 is cut by a downward horizontal plane, forming an angle of R5. As shown in FIG. 1(c), the substrate 35 has an elliptical hole 37 formed therein, which is similar to the inner surface of the lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31. The inclination angle R5 of the lower inclined portion 31 relative to the upper surface of the substrate 35 is approximately 30 degrees. The lower inclined portion 31 is bent at an angle R9 relative to the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29, and the angle R9 is 120 degrees, as are the angles R7 and R8. A jump-out prevention protrusion 36 is provided on the lower end of the lower inclined portion 31, protruding toward the inside of the tube, to prevent the coin K from jumping out and falling in one direction from the coin collection opening 17 when it falls into the coin collection opening 17. The jump-out prevention protrusion 36 is, for example, a resin rivet.

[0016] In this embodiment, the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29 and the lower inclined portion 31 form an integral lower unit U3, which has the same type of shape and dimensions as the upper unit U1 and middle unit U2 described above.

[0017] Next, the manufacture of the coin chute member 19 will be described. A polyvinyl chloride tube is cut to a specified length and dimensions, and one end is cut at angle R2 (the same angle as R5). An upper unit U1 is prepared by bending the upper inclined portion 27a of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the upper vertical portion 25 at R7, a middle unit U2 is prepared by bending the lower inclined portion 27b of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the upper member of the lower vertical portion 25 at R8, and a lower unit U3 is prepared by bending the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 25 and the lower inclined portion 31 at R9.

[0018] The upper unit U1, the middle unit U2 and the lower unit U3 have the same dimensions and the same shape, so it is sufficient to prepare three units of the same type.

[0019] Then, as shown in FIG. 1, each component is connected in order in the vertical direction. At this time, the lower end 27c of the upper inclined portion 27a of the upper unit U1 overlaps with the upper end of the lower inclined portion 27b of the middle unit U2, and the end (rear end) 27h forming the angle R2 faces rearward, so that the L-shaped inclined portion 27 can be shaped to protrude in one direction from the upper inclined portion 27a. Furthermore, in the lower unit U3, the lower component 29b of the middle unit U2 is rotated relative to the upper component 29a to adjust the orientation of the lower inclined portion 31, and the lower inclined portion 31 is connected so that it faces leftward (the other side). Each connection may be made by thermal welding or adhesive. Furthermore, a reinforcing member 30 is attached to the outer periphery of the lower end 29d of the upper member 29a of the middle unit U2 and the upper end 29f of the lower member 29b of the lower unit U3, spanning the lower end 29d and the upper end 29f. However, the reinforcing member 30 can be attached above the lower end 29d of the middle unit U2 or below the upper end 29f of the lower unit U3, and then attached by shifting its position after connecting the upper member 29a of the middle unit U2 and the lower member 29b of the lower unit.

[0020] Next, the effects of the settlement machine according to this embodiment will be described. To pay the fee displayed on the POS monitor, bills are inserted into the bill dispensing slot X or coins K are inserted into the coin slot 15 depending on the amount to be paid. When coins K are inserted through the coin insertion slot 15, if multiple coins K are inserted one after another, each coin K passes through the coin chute member 19 and falls onto the conveyor belt 21 of the coin recovery slot 17. In the coin chute member 19, the coin K passes through the upper inclined portion 27a of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 in one direction, and then passes through the lower inclined portion 27b in the opposite direction to the first direction, whereby the falling speed is slowed down by the two inclinations. At this time, the coin K falls by hitting the inner surface of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and flipping over, or by sliding along the inner surface of the L-shaped inclined portion 27. The coin K, which has been decelerated by the L-shaped inclined portion 27, passes through the lower vertical portion 29, and then hits the inner surface of the lower inclined portion 31 protruding in another direction, or slides along the inner surface, thereby further decelerating and dropping onto the conveyor belt 21 of the coin recovery port 17. The conveyor belt 21 of the coin collection port 17 sends the dropped coins K to a counter located behind the coin change machine 11, where they are counted and, if necessary, the change is paid out to a money receiver 23.

[0021] The coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 is decelerated by the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the lower inclined portion 31, so that the speed of the coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 can be significantly reduced and the impact caused by the coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 can be reduced, thereby preventing damage to the coin collection port 17. In the dogleg-shaped inclined portion 27, the coin K is continuously decelerated along two paths, the outward path going in one direction and the return path going back from the one direction, so a high deceleration effect can be obtained with a small protrusion. Since the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes in a different direction from the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the amount of protrusion can be distributed between the lower inclined portion 31 and the L-shaped inclined portion 27, and the installation space required for the coin chute member 19 in a plan view can be reduced.

[0022] The L-shaped inclined portion 27 is provided with a fitting prevention protrusion 27g on the tip side of the upper inclined portion 27a, so that a coin K that has fallen from the upper vertical portion 25 onto the L-shaped inclined portion 27 can be prevented from fitting into the rear end 27h of the L-shaped inclined portion 27, which has a narrow space. The lower inclined portion 31 is provided with a jump-out prevention protrusion 36 at its tip end, so that when the coin K slides down the inclination and falls into the coin collection opening 17, it can be prevented from jumping out of the coin collection opening 17 due to excess momentum. Therefore, the coin K can be reliably dropped into the coin collection opening 17. In addition, the falling coin K hits the jump-out prevention protrusion 36, so that the speed of the coin K can be reduced. The coin chute member 19 is made by cutting a cylindrical member of the same diameter to specified dimensions, cutting the end faces to form inclined surfaces at specified angles (R2, R5), and bending them at specified angles (R7, R8, R9) to create the upper unit U1, middle unit U2, and lower unit U3 of the same shape and dimensions.Since it is easy to manufacture, all you have to do is prepare three identical units U1, U2, and U3 and connect them in the vertical direction with each end face facing the specified direction. The lower vertical portion 29 is composed of two members, an upper member 29a of the middle unit U1 and a lower member 29b of the lower unit U3, and the lower end 29d of the upper member 29a and the upper end 29f of the lower member 29b have a circular cross section when viewed in plan, so that the lower member 29b can be rotated at any angle relative to the upper member 29a.By adjusting the rotation angle, the one direction in which the L-shaped inclined portion 27 protrudes and the other direction in which the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes can be easily and arbitrarily set.

[0023] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the embodiments described below, the parts that have the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above will be assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of those parts will be omitted. The following description will mainly focus on the differences from the first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, a coin chute member 19 according to the second embodiment will be described. The coin chute member 19 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the upper vertical portion 25, the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the lower vertical portion 29, and the lower inclined portion 31 are separate members, and the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the lower vertical portion 29 are each composed of two members. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the lower end 25b of the upper vertical portion 25 is cut at an angle R3 on the surface facing rearward and downward, and R3 is approximately 120 degrees.

[0024] The V-shaped inclined portion 27 is formed into a V-shape by an upper inclined portion 27a and a lower inclined portion 27b, and the inclination angle R1 of the V-shape formed by the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b is about 60 degrees. Lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a is a surface facing downward, and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b is a surface facing upward, and lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b are each cut at an angle of R2. R2 is half of R1, or approximately 30 degrees. As is clear from FIG. 1, lower end 27c of upper inclined portion 27a and upper end 27d of lower inclined portion 27b are each horizontal cross sections, and are connected by overlapping the horizontal cross sections. The upper end 27e of the upper inclined portion 27a is a cut surface facing forward and upward, cut at an angle of R3, and is overlapped and connected to the rear and downward facing surface of the lower end 25b of the upper vertical portion 25, with R3 being approximately 120 degrees, the same as the lower end 25b of the upper vertical portion 25.

[0025] Lower end 27f of lower inclined portion 27b of L-shaped inclined portion 27 faces forward and downward, and upper end 29c of lower vertical portion 29 faces backward and upward, and are cut at an angle R4. Similar to angle R3, angle R4 is approximately 120 degrees. Lower end 27f of lower inclined portion 27b and upper end 29c of lower vertical portion 29 are overlapped and connected to each other. The lower vertical portion 29 is divided into two parts, an upper member 29a and a lower member 29b, and the lower end 29d of the upper member 29a and the upper end 29f of the lower member 29b are connected by horizontal cut surfaces (circular cross sections when viewed from above). The lower end 29e of the lower member 29b is a surface facing left and downward, and is an inclined surface at an angle of R6.

[0026] The lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31 is connected to the upper surface of the horizontal substrate 35. The lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31 is cut by a downward horizontal plane, forming an angle of R5. As shown in FIG. 1(c), the substrate 35 has an elliptical hole 37 formed therein, which is similar to the inner surface of the lower end 31b of the lower inclined portion 31. As shown in Figure 1(a), the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes in another direction, but as in the first embodiment, the other direction is different from the one direction in which the L-shaped inclined portion 27 protrudes, and is the left side when viewed from the front. The inclination angle R5 of the lower inclined portion 31 relative to the upper surface of the substrate 35 is approximately 30 degrees. The upper end 31a of the lower inclined portion 31 is a surface facing right and upward, and is cut at an angle of R6. The upper end 31a of the lower inclined portion 31 and the lower end 29e of the lower vertical portion 29 are overlapped and connected to each other, forming an angle R6 of approximately 120 degrees.

[0027] Next, the manufacture of the coin chute member 19 according to the second embodiment will be described. The polyvinyl chloride tube is cut to a predetermined length to cut out cylindrical members corresponding to the upper vertical portion 25, the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b of the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the upper member 29a and the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29, and the lower inclined portion 31. Next, the lower end 25b of the cylindrical member of the upper vertical portion 25 is cut at an angle of R3. The cylindrical member of the upper inclined portion 27a constituting the L-shaped inclined portion 27 has the upper end 27e cut at an angle of R3 and the lower end 27c cut at an angle of R2, and the cylindrical member of the lower inclined portion 27b has the upper end 27d cut at an angle of R2 and the lower end 27f cut at an angle of R4. The cylindrical member of the upper member 29a constituting the lower vertical portion 29 has an upper end 29c cut at an angle of R4, and the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29 has a lower end 29e cut at an angle of R6. The cylindrical member of the lower inclined portion 31 has its upper end cut at an angle of R6 and its lower end cut at an angle of R5. 1, each component is connected in the vertical direction. At this time, the inclined surface of the upper end 27e of the upper inclined component 27a is overlapped with the inclined surface of the lower end 25b of the upper vertical component 25, so that the L-shaped inclined component 27 protrudes in one direction from the upper inclined component 27a. Furthermore, the lower vertical component 29 is connected to the upper component 29a so that the lower end 29e of the lower component 29b faces leftward (the other side), and the inclined surface of the lower end 29e of the lower component 29b is overlapped with the inclined surface of the upper end 31a of the lower inclined component 31, so that the lower inclined component 31 protrudes in the other direction. Each connection may be made by heat welding or by adhesive.

[0028] Next, the function and effect of the coin chute member 19 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the coin chute member 19, the coin K passes through the upper inclined portion 27a of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 in one direction, and then passes through the lower inclined portion 27b in the opposite direction to the first direction, whereby the falling speed is slowed down by the two inclinations. At this time, the coin K falls by hitting the inner surface of the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and flipping over, or by sliding along the inner surface of the L-shaped inclined portion 27. The coin K, which has been decelerated by the L-shaped inclined portion 27, passes through the lower vertical portion 29, and then hits the inner surface of the lower inclined portion 31 protruding in another direction, or slides along the inner surface, thereby further decelerating and dropping onto the conveyor belt 21 of the coin recovery port 17. The coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 is decelerated by the L-shaped inclined portion 27 and the lower inclined portion 31, so that the speed of the coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 can be significantly reduced and the impact caused by the coin K falling into the coin collection port 17 can be reduced, thereby preventing damage to the coin collection port 17. In the dogleg-shaped inclined portion 27, the coin K is continuously decelerated along two paths, the outward path going in one direction and the return path going back from the one direction, so a high deceleration effect can be obtained with a small protrusion. Since the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes in a different direction from the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the amount of protrusion can be distributed between the lower inclined portion 31 and the L-shaped inclined portion 27, and the installation space required for the coin chute member 19 in a plan view can be reduced.

[0029] The coin chute member 19 is easy to manufacture, as it is made by cutting a cylindrical member of the same diameter to the specified dimensions, then cutting the end faces to form inclined surfaces at specified angles (R2, R3, R4, R5), forming the upper vertical portion 25, the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the lower vertical portion 29 and the lower inclined portion 31, and connecting each cut surface in the vertical direction with the specified orientation. The dog-legged inclined portion 27 has the same angle R2 at the butted end faces of the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b, and the other end faces also have the same inclination angles R3 and R4, so that the same type of shape can be used and manufacturing is easy. In this embodiment, in addition to the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b of the L-shaped inclined portion 27, the upper end surface 31a and the lower end surface 31b of the lower inclined portion 31 are also made the same as the upper inclined portion 27a and the lower inclined portion 27b, so that the same types of shapes can be used for the three types of components, making manufacturing even easier. The lower vertical portion 29 is composed of two members: an upper member 29a connected to the lower end of the L-shaped inclined portion 27, and a lower member 29b attached to the upper end of the lower inclined portion 31. The lower end 29d of the upper member 29a and the upper end 29f of the lower member 29b have a circular cross-section, so that the lower member 29b can be rotated at any angle relative to the upper member 29a. Therefore, by adjusting the rotation angle, one direction in which the L-shaped inclined portion 27 protrudes and the other direction in which the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes can be easily and arbitrarily set. The upper member 29a and the lower member 29b of the lower vertical portion 29 each have a circular cross section at their contact surfaces, and the inclination angle R4 of the upper end 29c of the upper member 29a and the inclination angle R6 of the lower end 29d of the lower member 29b are the same, so that the two members can be made of the same type of shape, which also makes them easy to manufacture.

[0030] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the one direction in which the L-shaped inclined portion 27 protrudes and the other direction in which the lower inclined portion 31 protrudes are not limited to the rear and left sides when viewed from the front, but may be the rear and right sides, or the front and left sides, or the front and right sides, and the one direction and the other direction are not limited to forming a right angle, but may form an angle of approximately 45 degrees or approximately 30 degrees.As long as the one direction and the other direction are different, the angle formed by the one direction and the other direction is not limited. In the first and second embodiments, the rear end 27h (see FIGS. 1(b) and 3(b)) of the V-shaped inclined portion 27 may be formed in an arc shape or with a rounded edge instead of being formed at an acute angle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Payment machine 15 Coin slot 17 Coin collection slot 19 Coin chute member 25 Upper vertical section 27 Dog-shaped inclined section 29 Lower vertical part 31 Lower slope

Claims

[Claim 1] The machine is provided with a coin insertion port, a coin collection port, and a coin chute member, The coin chute member is tubular and is provided between the coin insertion port and the coin collection port. This payment machine is characterized in that an upper vertical portion, a dogleg-shaped inclined portion projecting in one direction, a lower vertical portion, and a lower inclined portion projecting in another direction are provided in this order from top to bottom.

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