CA1254966A - Coin selection apparatus - Google Patents
Coin selection apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1254966A CA1254966A CA000491731A CA491731A CA1254966A CA 1254966 A CA1254966 A CA 1254966A CA 000491731 A CA000491731 A CA 000491731A CA 491731 A CA491731 A CA 491731A CA 1254966 A CA1254966 A CA 1254966A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- coin
- coils
- detection
- voltage
- discrimination
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D5/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D5/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
- G07D5/08—Testing the magnetic or electric properties
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D5/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
- G07D5/02—Testing the dimensions, e.g. thickness, diameter; Testing the deformation
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A coin selection apparatus comprises detection coils and an oscillation circuit which detects changes of impedances of the detection coils caused when a coin pass through the detection coils, as a change of a voltage output. The detection coils include at least two detection coils opposingly arranged to coin paths and one detection coil has coils connected in series and in phase and the other detection coil has coils connected in series and in opposite phases. Those coils are arranged at a spacing smaller than a minimum diameter of a coin to be selected and all of the coils are connected in series and connected as a resonance element of the oscillation circuit. Thus, material, thickness and diameter and other appearance characteristic of the coin are detected based on the voltage output of the oscillation circuit. Accordingly, the coin selection apparatus is of simple construction and has a small number of components.
A coin selection apparatus comprises detection coils and an oscillation circuit which detects changes of impedances of the detection coils caused when a coin pass through the detection coils, as a change of a voltage output. The detection coils include at least two detection coils opposingly arranged to coin paths and one detection coil has coils connected in series and in phase and the other detection coil has coils connected in series and in opposite phases. Those coils are arranged at a spacing smaller than a minimum diameter of a coin to be selected and all of the coils are connected in series and connected as a resonance element of the oscillation circuit. Thus, material, thickness and diameter and other appearance characteristic of the coin are detected based on the voltage output of the oscillation circuit. Accordingly, the coin selection apparatus is of simple construction and has a small number of components.
Description
1 The present invention relates to a coin selection apparatus used in an automatic vending machine or a money changing machine.
Various coin selection apparatus have been pro-posed. In one electronic coin selection apparatus, at least two detection coils are arranged in a path of coins and changes of impedances of the detection coils caused when a coin passes therethrough under an influence of electromagnetic fields by the detection coils are detected.
13 The selection system of the apparatus of this type includes a frequency change detection system in which the de~ection coils are used as oscillation coils and the changes of equivalent inductances caused when the coin passes therethrough are detected as changes of oscillation frequencies, an impedance voltage detection s~stem in which the detection coils are used as oscillation coils and changes of equivalent loss resistances R caused when the coin passes therethrough are detected as changes oE reso-nance circuit impedances, and a system in which a bridge circuit is constructed by the detection coil, a standard impedance element and two other impedance elements and a balance point of the bridge when the coin passes there through is de-tected.
In the coin selection~ in order to enhance the selection accuracy including the selection of denomination ~5~
of tl1e coln and eJectlon of false coln, the above selectlon sys-tems are comblned, or In a slngle selectlon system, a plurallty oF fre~uencles are set for electromagnetlc flelds by ~he detec-tlon colls.
The present Inventlon wlll be Illustrated by way of the accompanylng drawlngs, In whlch:-Flg. 1A Is a Front vlew of a maln portlon of one embod-Iment o-f a coln selectlon apparatus of the present Inventlon;
Flg. 1B Is a clrcult dlagram of the apparatus of Flg.
1 ;
Flg.s 2A and 2B are sectlonal vlews showlng a structure of a detectlon coll and a posltlonal relatlonshlp of a thrown~ln coln;
Flg. 3 shows an output voltage waveform of a detectlon clrcult;
Flg. 4A Illustrates settlng posl~lons of two detectlon colls wlth respect to the thrown-ln coln;
Flg. 4B Illustrates settlng posltlons of three detec~
tlon colls wlth respect to the thrown-ln coln;
Flg.s 5(A) and 5(B) show waveforms of detectlon outputs oF the de-tectlon colls of Flg. 4A;
Flg.s 5(C) and 5(D) show waveforms of detectlon outputs of the detectlon colls of Flg. 4B;
Flg.s 6A to 6C show output characterlstlcs of the de-tectlon clrcults;
Flg. 7 shows a coln selectlon program flow; and Fl~.s ~, 9 and 10 are clrcult dlagrams of prlor art coln selectlon apparatus, Flg. 8 shows a conflguratlon of a prlor art frequency change detectlon system. Three detection colls 201, 202 and 203 arranged In a coln path detect shape, thlckness and materlai of a coln, respectlvely.
The detectlon colls 201, ~02 and 203 are constructed as osclllatlon colls of osc I I I atlon clrcults 204, 205 and 206 havln~
Independent osclllatlon frequencles. Numeral 207 denotes an AND
clrcult, and numeral 208 denotes a counter. The osclilatlon frequencles of the osclllatlon clrcults 204, 205 and 206 are sequentlally read by strobe slgnals S1, Sz and S3 from a mlcro computer 209 and colns are selected by examlnlng the read data by executlng a coln selectlon program In the mlcrocomputer 209.
(See Japanese Examlned Pa-tent PublIcatlon 58-6985). In Flg. 8, INA and INB denote counter Input ports.
Flg. 9 shows a conflguratlon of a prlor art brIdge bal-ance polnt detectlon system. An osclllatlon coll 351 Is exclted by an A.C. power supply 350 of a constant voltage and supplles constant voltages to two recelvlng colls 35Z and 353. Numeral 310A denotes a detectlon coll For detectlng materlal and thlck~
ness of a coln, and numeral 310B denotes a detectlon coll for detectlng a shape of the coln. The detectlon coll 310A form~
brldge clrcul~s 311A-31~A one for each denomlnatlon o~ coln and each Includln~
- 2a -\
1 the detection coil 310A in one side of -the bridge. Outputs of -the bridge circuits are supplied to differential am-plifiers 301A - 304A, respectively, and outputs thereof are supplied to comparators 305A - 308A, respectively.
Outputs of the comparakors 305A - 308A are supplied to a discrimination circuit 309. The detection coil 310B is similarly configured to the detection coil 310A and con-nected to the discrimination circuit 309.
An output of the A.C. power supply of the bridge circuIts is supplied to the discrimination circuit 309 through a waveform conversion circuit 310.
The discrimination circuit 309 supplies a reference pulse train to a clock pulse input port CP and output levels from the comparators 305A ~ 308A and 305B -308B and compares them with a predetermined reference toselect the coin. tSee Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 58-30632).
In Fig. 9, LlA - L4A and RlA - R4A are variable lnductors and variable resistors which form standard 2Q impedance elements for denominations of coins of the bridge circuits 311A - 314A including the detection coil 310A, YOA ~ Y4A are one-side impedances of the bridge circuits 311A - 314A, and LlB ~ L4B' RlB R4B OB 4B
variable inductors, variable resistors and impeclances of the bridge circuits 311B - 314B. INlA - IN4A and INlB -IN4B denote input ports.
Fig. 10 shows a configuration of a prior art impeda~ce voltage detection system~ Numeral 901 denotes 1 a detection coil arranged in a coin path to detect a material of a coin, numerals 902 and 903 denotes detection coils for detecting a thickness of the coin and numeral 904 denotes a detection coil for detecting a diameter of the coin. The coils 901 - 904 form a portion of an oscillation circuit osc~ Changes of impedances of the coils 901 - 904 are outputted as a frequency change of the oscillation circuit OSC and the frequency change is con-verted to a ~oltage by a frequency-voltage conversion circuit FVC, an output of which is supplied to material, thickness and diameter discrimination circuits M, T and D.
The discrimination circuits M, T and D compare the detec-tion outpu~s with predetermined references for each de-nomination of coln to select the coin. Numerals 905, 906 and 907 denote sensors arranged near the detection coils 901, ~02 and 903, respectively, for detecting passage of the coin through the detection coils. The disc.rimination circuits M, T and D are set and reset by the signals of the sensors 905, 906 and 907. (See Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 55-11182). A1 ~ A~l denote AND gates which produce outputs when coins A, B, C and D
are discriminated, respectively, and A5 denotes an AND
gate which produces a false coin output when a coin does not correspond to any of the coins A, B, C and D. The AND gate A5 produces the output when NO signals are sup-plied from the discrimination circuits M, T and D. DTl and DT2 denote first and second differentia-tion circuits which output signals in response to the detection signals ~5~
1 of the passage detection sensoxs 905 and 907. A fllp-flop FF is set and reset by those signals.
In the prior art selection apparatus shown in Fig. 8, a plurality of independent oscillation circuits are provided one for each of test items of the coin (size, material and thickness) and they are operated at the frequencies suitable for the respective tests. As a result, the flows of signals in the detection system is complex and the circuit configuration is complex. Further, wiring cables for the detection coils must be shielded in order to prevent interference of the signals in the oscil-lation circuits.
In the circui~ of Fig. 9, two-side bridge im-pedance elements, di~ferential amplifier and comparator are required for one detection coil for each denomination of coin. Thus, the signal flows in the detection system i5 complex and a number o~ circuit components are required.
Further~ adjustment for balancing the bridge ~or each denomination of coin is required.
In the circuit of Fig. 10 t the detection coils are connected in series and the detection circuit including the oscillation circuits is simplified. Howevex, the independent detection coils are required one for each of the test items of the coin (size, material and thickness~, and the coin passage sensor and the detection circuit are required ~or each detection coil. Accordingly, the number of circuit components increases and the circuit configura tion is complex.
The prlor art selectlon apparatus are thus complex In the clrcult conflguratlon and requlre a large number of comPo-nents. ~ccordlngly, the cost Increases, chance of occurrenc~ of trouble 15 hlgh and servlceablll~y Is low because ~he slgnals In the detectlon system are comp~ex.
In a coln changer or an automatlc vendlng machlne whlch Incorporates the coln selectlon apparatus, a demand to reduce the slze oF the appara$us has been Increaslng. The prlor art appara--tus cannot satlsfy such demand.
The present Inventlon provldes a coln selectlon appara-tus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is fed, detectlon colls arranged along the coln path and a detectlon clrcult for detectlng changes of Impedances of the detectlon colls caused when the coln passes therethrough. The detectlon colls each Inctudes two colls arranged opposltely to the coln path, and at least two sets of such detectlon colls are arranged. Ali detec-tlon colls Includlng the two opposlng detectlon colls are con-nected In serles. By thls arrangement, three factors of the coln(slze, ma-terlai and thlckness) and an appearance dlfference from a reference coln ~re checked and the coln Is accurately selected wlth a very slmple conflguratlon and a small number oF compo-nents.
Accordlng to one aspect thereof the present Inventlon provldes a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln pa.h along whlch a coln Is fed; at least two coln sensors arranged along sald path and havlng Impedances whlch are changeable wlth the passage oF a coln therealong; a detectlon clrcult means for detectlng Impedance changes of sald coln sensors; and a dlscrlml-natlon clrcult means, connected to sald detectlon clrcult means 7 for dlscrImlnatlng coln characterlstlcs on the basls of the detected Impedances oF sald coln sensors; and whereln each of sald two coln sensors comprlses two colls opposlngly arranged to sald coln path, one oF sald two coln sensors has Its two colls ~f'~
connected In serles In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrImlnatlon oF coln materlal, the other of sald two coln sensors has Its two colls connecte~ In serles In phase opposltlon prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln thlckness, sald coln sensors are connected In serles, and sald one and sald other coln sensors have a deflned spaclng therebetween along sald coln path prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln dlameter, wlth sald spaclng belng smaller than a dlameter of the smallest one of the colns ~o be selected.
In one embodIment of the present Inventlon sald detec-tlon clrcult means includes a resonance clrcult Includlng sald serles connected coln sensors, an osclllatlon clrcult for gener-atlng a change of an osclllatlon voltage accordlng to a change o~
an Impedance of sald resonance clrcult, and a rectlflcatlon clr-cult for convertlng the change of the osclllatlon voltage Into a change of a D.C. voltage; and sald dlscrImlnatlon clrcult Includes means for measurlng and storlng data of the voltage lev-els of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C. voltage from sald detectlon clrcult, means for comparlng the voltage levels at -the peak and bottom polnts wlth a respectlve reference level for ~he coln to be selected, and means for dlscrlmlnatlng the mate-rlal, thIckness and dlameter of the roln on the basls of the com-pared results. Sultably sald data measurlng and storlng means measures and stores data of one voltage level and Its generation tlmlng at one peak polnt or bottom polnt and of another voltage level and Its generatlon tlmlng at another peak polnt or bot-tom polnt; sald voltage level comParlng means Inc!udes flrst means ~or comparlng a relatlve ratlo or relatlve dlfference of sald one and another voltage levels wlth a respectlve reference level for the coln to be selected, and second means for comparlng a ratlo oF the duratlon perlods across sald one and another voltage lev-els wlth a reference ratlo for the coln to be selected; and sald dlscrImlnatlon means further Includes means For dlscrImlnatlng false coln characterlstlcs other than dlameter, materlal and thlckness on the basls of a~ least one of the compared results of sald flrst and second means.
In another aspect thereoF ~he present Inventlon pro-vides a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is Fed; detect~on colls arranged along sald coln path and havlng Impedances changeable wlth passage of a co~n therealong; a detectlon clrcult comprlslng a resonance clrcult Includlng sald detectlon colls, an osclllatlon clrcult for gener-atlng a change of an osclllation voltage accordlng to a change of an Impedance of sald resonance clrcult, and a rectlflcatlon clr cult for convertlng the change of the osclllatlon voltage Into a change of a D.C. voltage; a dlscrlmlnatlon clrcult comprlslng m~ans for measurlng and storlng data of voltage levels of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C. voltage supplled from sald detectlon clrcult, means for comparlng the peak and bottom voltage levels wl-th respectlve reference levels for the coln to be selected, and means for dlscrImlnatlng materlal, thIckness and dlameter of the coln on the basls of the compared results; and whereln each of sald detectlon colls comprlses two coll segments opposlngly arranged to sald coln path wlth a flrst of sald detec-tlon colls havlng lts two coll segments connected In serles and In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln materlal, wlth a second of sald detectlon co!ls havlng lts two coll seg-ments connected In serles and In phase opposltlon prlnclpally ~or the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln thlckness, wlth all of sald detectlon colls Incluslve of sald flrst and second detectlon colls belng connected In serles, and wlth sald flrst and second detectlon colls belng spaced along saId path and deflnlng therebetween a spaclng smaller than a dlameter of the smallest coln selected for the dlscrImlnatlon of coln dlameter.
In a further aspect thereof the present Inventlon pro-vldes a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is Fed; a pluralIty of detectlon colls arranged 3~ along sald coln path and havlng Impedances changeable wlth pas-sage of a coln therealong; a detectlon clrcult means for detect-- 7a -Ing changes o~ Impedances of said detection colls; and a dlscrlm-lnatlon clrcult means, conne~ted to sald detectlon circult means, for measurlng and storlng data of the peak and bottom polnts of ~he Impedance changes of sald detectlon colls, for comparlng the stored data at the peak and bottom polnts wlth respectlve refer-ence values predetermlned for the obJectlve true colns to be selected, and for dlscrlmlnatlng the materlal, thlcl<ness and dlameter oF the coln passlng along sald path on the basls of the compared results; and whereln sald plurallty of detectlon colls Include at least two sets of detectlon colls each havlng two colls opposlngly arranged to sald coln path so that a coln passes between the colls of a set, all of sald detection colls Includlng sald opposlngly arranged colls are connected In serles and to sald detectlon clrcult means, one of sald sets of detectlon colls has Its two colls connected In serles and In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln materlal and the other of sald sets of detectlon colls has Its two colls connected In serles wlth opposite phases prlnclpally for the dlscrImlnatlon of coln thlckness, and sald one set of detectlon colls and sal d other set of detectlon colls are spaced a!ong sald coln path by a dlstance whlch Is smaller than a dlameter of a smallest one of the true colns to be selected prlnclpally for the dlssrlmlnatlon of coln dlameter. Sultably sald dlscrlmlnatlon clrcult means further Includes means for measuring and storlng data of the generatlon tlmlngs of the peak and bottom polnts of Impedance changes of sald detec~lon colls to measure and store data of a peak-to-peak duratlon perlod and a bottom-~o-bottom duratlon perlod; flrst means for comparlng a relatlve ratlo or re!atlve dlfference of one and another peak or bottom polnt wlth a respectlve reference level predetermlned for the o~Jectlve true coln; second means for comparlng a ratlo of sald duratlon perlods wlth a reference ratlo predetermlned for the true coln; and means for dlscrImlnatlng coln characterlstlcs other than dlameter, materlal and thlckness on the basls of at least one of the compared results of sald flrst and second means.
- 7b -~S'~
I n F I g . 1, a co I n 7 thrown I n F rom a port 2 of a -- 7c --1 coin selection apparatus 1 rolls down a graded ramp 3 and passes b~ a detection coil 8 and a detection coil 9, and if the coin 7 is determined to be a ~rue coin by the detection coils 8 and 9, a gate 4 IS opened and the coin 7 is fed to a true coin path 5. If the coin 7 is deter-mined to be a false coin, the gate 4 is not opened and the coin 7 is returned through a false coin path 6.
The first detection coil 8 and the second detec-tion coil 9 have coils 8a and 8b, and coils 9a and 9b connected in series as shown in Fig. lB and form a reson-ance circuit with capacitors Cl and C2. The resonance circuit and a feedback amplifier 15, base resistors R2 and R3, an emitter feedback resistor Rl and a transistor 31 form an oscillation circuit 12. The oscillation circuit 12 normally oscillates at a constant frequency determined by a series equivalent inductance of the detection coils 8 and 9 and the capacitors Cl and C2, and an A.C. output determined by a ratio of a load impedance of the resonance circuit and the emitter feedback resistor Rl is produced at a collector of a transistor ~1 As the thrown-in coin 7 approaches the detection coils 8 and 9, the load impedance of the resonance circuit changes depending on a conductivity of the coin 7~ a permeability ~ of the coin 7, a ~hickness ~ of the coin 7 and relative positions between the coin 7 and the detection coils 8 and 9, and the change appears as a change in the collector voltage of the transistor ~1 C3 denotes a D.C. blocking coupling capacitor.
1 The A.C. voltage output of the transistor ~1 is supplied to a rectification cir~uit 13 through the coupling capac-itor C3 and a detection output is ~aken out as a ~.C.
voltage. D~ and D2 denote rectifying diodes, C4 and R4 s denote fil~ering capacitor and resistor, and R5 and C5 denote resistor and capacitor of a low-pass filter, which bypasses a high frequency component of a steady oscillation frequency band of the oscillation circuit 12. Thus, the detection output free from a high frequency ripple noise is supplied to an A/D converter input terminal of a micro-computer 14. The pair of detection coils 8 and 9 are placed in grooves of pot-type ferrite cores 402A - 402D as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B with the coils 8a, 8b, 9a and 9b being embedded therein. In the present embodiment, the outer diameters of the detec~ion coils 8 and 9 are smaller than a minimum diameter of true coins as shown in Fig~ 4, and arranged in the coin paths 10 and 11 so that they are within the range of the diameter of the coin 7. Thus, the detection coils 8 and 9 are little influenced by the diameter of the true coin 7.
The detection coil 8 of Fig. 1 includes the coils 8a and 8b arranged opposingly to the coin paths 10 and 11 with a spacing of d3 therebetween, as shown in Fig.
2A. Those coils are connected in series and in phase.
Accordi.ngly, a direction of magnetic fluxes created thereby is in a direction to penetrate into the coin 7 as shwon by an arrow 410. Therefore, the magnetic fluxes change depending on the type of the coin 7 and the thickness and i6 1 material of the coin can be detected.
The second detec-tion coil 9 has coils 9a and 9b opposingly arranged to the coin paths 10 and 11 with the spacing d3 therebetween as shown..in Fig. 2B. Thoss coils are connected in series with opposite phases. Accordingly, a direction of magnetic fluxes created thereby is along the sur~ace of the coin 7 as shown by an arrow 411. When the coin is placed in the influence of the electromagnetic field, the penetration factor of the magnetic fluxes into the coin is given by d=l/~lwk~ (w=2~f)o If the frequency f is very high or the conductivity k is ver~ high~ the current and flux density in the coin are not zero and the densities thereof are smaller as they go toward the center of the coin. If the oscillation frequency determined by the resonance circuit is appropriately selected, the first detection coil 8 has a hish penetration factor and sensi-tively responds primarily to the material of the coin 7.
The second detection coil 9 has the magnetic fluxes along the surface of the coin. Thus, it sensitively responds to a distance dl+d2 between the detection coil 9 and the coin 7 and hence responds to the thickness of the coin 7 t=d3-(dl+d2). Accordingly, the detection coil 9 detects the thickness of the coin.
In the present e~bodiment, the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 12 is set to 115 KHz.
The surface wave depth d in copper (Cu~ which is frequently used for the coin is given below with a frequency being a parameter.
dH 0.05 ~m (f=1000 KH2~ k=1~2x10 ~ (v~m) dM-0.15 mm If= 115 KHz) ~=4~x10 (H/m) dL .5 mm (f= 10 KHz) 1 It has been known that the thickness of the coin can be determined accurately if the surface wave depth d meets a relationship of d/coin thickness ~ 0.1. On the other hand, from the standpoint of the determination of the material of the coin, the surface wave depth d is prefer-ably larger than the thickness of the coin and the oscil-lation frequency is preferably as low as possible. In the present embodiment, the detection coil 8 comprises the opposing sensors and the opposing coils 8a and 8b are connected in series and in phase 50 that the apparent sur-face wave depth d i5 large enough relative to the thickness of the co.in in determining the material of the coin.
Fig. 3 shows a typical example of a waveform of a detection voltage developed at the A/D converter input 1~ terminal of the microcomputer 14 of Fig. 1, when the coin 7 passes by the detection coils 8 and 9.
The microcomputer 14 sequentially reads in the detection voltages from the A/D converter input terminal and detects an-~`output voltage Eo when the coin 7 does not exist in the coin paths 10 and 11 and voltages Vdl (first bottom voltage), Vd2 ~second bottom voltage), Vd3 (third bottom voltage), Vpl (first peak voltage) and Vp2 (second peak voltage) at characteristic points of the change of the output voltage when the coin 7 passes through the coin ~P~
1 paths 10 and 11. The microcomputer 14 a].so detects and stores time relationships of the characteristic points such as a ti~e interval between Vdl detection and Vd2 detection and a peak period t2 f Vp1.
Figs. 5A and 5B show detection voltayes developed when a cixcular false coin 703 having a diameter equal to a minimum diameter of the true coins to be selected and a false coin 703 having a diameter equal to a maximum diam-eter of the true coins and having the same material and thickness as those of the false coin 703 are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11 in which the first detection coil 8 and the second detection coil 9 are arranged as shown in Fig. 4. A point 710 corresponds to the material of the coin and a point 711 corresponds to the thickness of the coin. In the present embodiment, the points 710 and 711 have no change because the coins 70~ and 703 are of the same material and thickness. A detection output for the false coin 702 when a mutual action between the second detection coil 9 and the false coin is eliminated is shown by a curve 704, and a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 706. The point 710 shows the vol~aye bottom point of the curves 704 and 706, a detection output for the false coin 702 when a mutual action between the first detection coil 8 and the false coin is eliminatecl is shown by a curve 705, and a detection ootput for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 707. The point 711 shows a voltage bottom point of the curves 705 and 707.
A distance Ds between the first detection coil 8 1 and the second detec-tion coil 9 is selected such taht the curve 704 does not affect to -the bottom 711 of the curve 705 and the curve 705 does not affect to the bottom of the curve 704 when the true coin passes through the detection coils 8 and 9. Accordingly, a combined output of the curves 704 and 705 is represented by a curve 708, and a combined output of the curves 706 and 707 are represented by a curve 709.
A test output voltage Vp25 of the comoined test output curve 708 on a crossing time axis of the curves 704 and 705, and a test output voltage Vp2L f the combined test output curve 709 on a crossing time axis of the curves 706 and 707 are different rom each other due to a dif-ference between areas of mutual actions between the coin and the detection coils 8 and 9, that is, a difference between the diameters of the coins. As a result, the voltage peaX points 712 and 713 on the combined test output curves 708 and 709 sensitively respond to the diameter of the coin. ~ selec~ing the distance between the detection coils 8 and 9 to be smaller than the diameter of the smal-lest one of ~he coins to be selected, the material of the coin can be detected by the voltage Vpl of the D.C. detec -tion voltage curve of Fig. 3, the thickness of the coin is detected by the voltage Vd3 and the diameter oE the coin is detected by the voltage Vd2.
~ he order of -the arrangement of the first detec-tion coil 8 and the second detection coil 9 along the flow of the coin may be reversed so long as the relative 1 positional relationship of the detection coils 8 and 9 is held in the manner shown in Fig. 4A~
Fig. 4B shows an arrangement of the detecti.on coils when a diameter detection coil is aclditionally used as a third detection coll.
Figs. 5C and 5D show detection voltage curves developed when the false coins 702 and 703 are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11. A detection output by the detection coil 8 and the false coin 702 when the mutual action between the 5econd and third detection coils 9 and 800 and the false coin is eliminated is sho~n by a curve 801~ and a detection output by the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 804.
Similarly, a detection output by the detection coil 9 and the false coin 702 is shown by a curve 802, a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 805, a de~ection output by the detection coil 800 and the false coin 702 is shown by a curve 803, and a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a cuxve 806.
In the present embodiment, the third detection coil 800 is used to detect the size of the coin. The distance between the first detection coil 8 and the second detection coi.l 9 i5 selected such that, when the true coin passes therethrough, the curve 801 does not affect to the voltaye bottom point 810 of the curve 802 and the curve 802 does not affect to the voltage bottom point 809 of the curve 801. It need not be smaller than the minimum 1 diameter of the true coin.
On the other hand, the distance DS2 between the second detection coil 9 and the third detection coil 800 is selected to meet a similar relationship to the distance Ds between the first and second detection coils 8 and 9.
The level of the third detec-tion coil 800 from the ramp 3 is selected as shown in Fig. 4B 50 that the third detection coil 800 is largely affected by the diameter of the coin 7. As a result, the area opposing to the third detection coil 800 changes with the size of the coin and the voltage bottom points 811 and 812 on the curves 807 and 808 sensi-tively respond to the diameter of the coin.
The third detection coil 800 is preferably has opposing sensors like the second detection coil 9 and the coils are cormected in series and opposite phases so that the affect by the material to the detection output is reduced. Depending on the selection accurracy required by the coin selection apparatus, the third detection coil 800 may not be the opposing sensors.
Figs. 6A to 6C show characteristic curves devived from detection outputs when circular Ealse coins of white copper (CUNi~ and lead (Pb) are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11, with an abscissa representing a diameter ~ or a thickness t and an ordinate representing voltage Vpl~ Vd3 or Vp2O The voltage Vpl primaril~ responds to the material of the coin 7, Vd3 prima.rily responds to the thickness t of the coin 7 and Vp2 primarily responds to the diameter ~ of the coin 7.
1 Fig. 7 shows a compare/discriminatlon program in the microcomputer 14 of Fig. lB.
In steps 1 - 3, whekher Vpl 9 Vp2 and Vd3 are within predetermlned ranges or not is determined to dis~
criminate the material, diameter and thickness of the coin.
In order to enhance the rejection ability for the false coin and the discrimination ability for true coin, the mutual relationship betwPen the levels at the peak and bottom points of the detection output waveform shown in Fig. 3 and the time is determined in steps 4 and 5. In the step 4, an absolute value of a difference between Vdl and Vpl is compared with a predetermined range for each true coin. Assuming that there are a coin A and a coin B having the same material and thickness as the coin A and a larger diameter than the coin A, the present embodiment is effective to reject a false coin for the coin B which is manufactured by applying a ring o dif-ferent material to the coin A.
Even if the false coin is manufactured by the same material of the same diameter and thickness, if the coin has a center hole, relative difference between the peak and bottom points such as ¦Vdl-Vpl¦ or ¦Vpl-Vd2¦, or a rat.io of ~he time interval tl between Vdl and Vd2 and a time period t2 of Vp are different from those o~ the true ~5 coin. Accordingly, those features are checked for each type of coin.
Those differences between the true coin and the false coin could not be detected in the prior art apparatus.
1 In the present en~odiment, those differences are checked in combination to attain accurate discrimination of the true coin.
In accordance with the present invention, two sets of detection coils each having two coils opposingly arranyed in a predetermined spaced relationship along a coin path along which a coin is slid, and one set of detection circuit detect the -three factors of the coin (diameter, material and thickness) and the appearance difference from a reference coin (for example, presence or absence of a center hole). Accordingly, the coin can be accurately selected wi-th a very simple arrangement and a small number of components~ Thus, the serviciability is enhanced. The present invention can satisfy the require-ment for the compactness in the coin changer and the auto-matic vending machine which incorporate the coin selection apparatus.
Various coin selection apparatus have been pro-posed. In one electronic coin selection apparatus, at least two detection coils are arranged in a path of coins and changes of impedances of the detection coils caused when a coin passes therethrough under an influence of electromagnetic fields by the detection coils are detected.
13 The selection system of the apparatus of this type includes a frequency change detection system in which the de~ection coils are used as oscillation coils and the changes of equivalent inductances caused when the coin passes therethrough are detected as changes of oscillation frequencies, an impedance voltage detection s~stem in which the detection coils are used as oscillation coils and changes of equivalent loss resistances R caused when the coin passes therethrough are detected as changes oE reso-nance circuit impedances, and a system in which a bridge circuit is constructed by the detection coil, a standard impedance element and two other impedance elements and a balance point of the bridge when the coin passes there through is de-tected.
In the coin selection~ in order to enhance the selection accuracy including the selection of denomination ~5~
of tl1e coln and eJectlon of false coln, the above selectlon sys-tems are comblned, or In a slngle selectlon system, a plurallty oF fre~uencles are set for electromagnetlc flelds by ~he detec-tlon colls.
The present Inventlon wlll be Illustrated by way of the accompanylng drawlngs, In whlch:-Flg. 1A Is a Front vlew of a maln portlon of one embod-Iment o-f a coln selectlon apparatus of the present Inventlon;
Flg. 1B Is a clrcult dlagram of the apparatus of Flg.
1 ;
Flg.s 2A and 2B are sectlonal vlews showlng a structure of a detectlon coll and a posltlonal relatlonshlp of a thrown~ln coln;
Flg. 3 shows an output voltage waveform of a detectlon clrcult;
Flg. 4A Illustrates settlng posl~lons of two detectlon colls wlth respect to the thrown-ln coln;
Flg. 4B Illustrates settlng posltlons of three detec~
tlon colls wlth respect to the thrown-ln coln;
Flg.s 5(A) and 5(B) show waveforms of detectlon outputs oF the de-tectlon colls of Flg. 4A;
Flg.s 5(C) and 5(D) show waveforms of detectlon outputs of the detectlon colls of Flg. 4B;
Flg.s 6A to 6C show output characterlstlcs of the de-tectlon clrcults;
Flg. 7 shows a coln selectlon program flow; and Fl~.s ~, 9 and 10 are clrcult dlagrams of prlor art coln selectlon apparatus, Flg. 8 shows a conflguratlon of a prlor art frequency change detectlon system. Three detection colls 201, 202 and 203 arranged In a coln path detect shape, thlckness and materlai of a coln, respectlvely.
The detectlon colls 201, ~02 and 203 are constructed as osclllatlon colls of osc I I I atlon clrcults 204, 205 and 206 havln~
Independent osclllatlon frequencles. Numeral 207 denotes an AND
clrcult, and numeral 208 denotes a counter. The osclilatlon frequencles of the osclllatlon clrcults 204, 205 and 206 are sequentlally read by strobe slgnals S1, Sz and S3 from a mlcro computer 209 and colns are selected by examlnlng the read data by executlng a coln selectlon program In the mlcrocomputer 209.
(See Japanese Examlned Pa-tent PublIcatlon 58-6985). In Flg. 8, INA and INB denote counter Input ports.
Flg. 9 shows a conflguratlon of a prlor art brIdge bal-ance polnt detectlon system. An osclllatlon coll 351 Is exclted by an A.C. power supply 350 of a constant voltage and supplles constant voltages to two recelvlng colls 35Z and 353. Numeral 310A denotes a detectlon coll For detectlng materlal and thlck~
ness of a coln, and numeral 310B denotes a detectlon coll for detectlng a shape of the coln. The detectlon coll 310A form~
brldge clrcul~s 311A-31~A one for each denomlnatlon o~ coln and each Includln~
- 2a -\
1 the detection coil 310A in one side of -the bridge. Outputs of -the bridge circuits are supplied to differential am-plifiers 301A - 304A, respectively, and outputs thereof are supplied to comparators 305A - 308A, respectively.
Outputs of the comparakors 305A - 308A are supplied to a discrimination circuit 309. The detection coil 310B is similarly configured to the detection coil 310A and con-nected to the discrimination circuit 309.
An output of the A.C. power supply of the bridge circuIts is supplied to the discrimination circuit 309 through a waveform conversion circuit 310.
The discrimination circuit 309 supplies a reference pulse train to a clock pulse input port CP and output levels from the comparators 305A ~ 308A and 305B -308B and compares them with a predetermined reference toselect the coin. tSee Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 58-30632).
In Fig. 9, LlA - L4A and RlA - R4A are variable lnductors and variable resistors which form standard 2Q impedance elements for denominations of coins of the bridge circuits 311A - 314A including the detection coil 310A, YOA ~ Y4A are one-side impedances of the bridge circuits 311A - 314A, and LlB ~ L4B' RlB R4B OB 4B
variable inductors, variable resistors and impeclances of the bridge circuits 311B - 314B. INlA - IN4A and INlB -IN4B denote input ports.
Fig. 10 shows a configuration of a prior art impeda~ce voltage detection system~ Numeral 901 denotes 1 a detection coil arranged in a coin path to detect a material of a coin, numerals 902 and 903 denotes detection coils for detecting a thickness of the coin and numeral 904 denotes a detection coil for detecting a diameter of the coin. The coils 901 - 904 form a portion of an oscillation circuit osc~ Changes of impedances of the coils 901 - 904 are outputted as a frequency change of the oscillation circuit OSC and the frequency change is con-verted to a ~oltage by a frequency-voltage conversion circuit FVC, an output of which is supplied to material, thickness and diameter discrimination circuits M, T and D.
The discrimination circuits M, T and D compare the detec-tion outpu~s with predetermined references for each de-nomination of coln to select the coin. Numerals 905, 906 and 907 denote sensors arranged near the detection coils 901, ~02 and 903, respectively, for detecting passage of the coin through the detection coils. The disc.rimination circuits M, T and D are set and reset by the signals of the sensors 905, 906 and 907. (See Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 55-11182). A1 ~ A~l denote AND gates which produce outputs when coins A, B, C and D
are discriminated, respectively, and A5 denotes an AND
gate which produces a false coin output when a coin does not correspond to any of the coins A, B, C and D. The AND gate A5 produces the output when NO signals are sup-plied from the discrimination circuits M, T and D. DTl and DT2 denote first and second differentia-tion circuits which output signals in response to the detection signals ~5~
1 of the passage detection sensoxs 905 and 907. A fllp-flop FF is set and reset by those signals.
In the prior art selection apparatus shown in Fig. 8, a plurality of independent oscillation circuits are provided one for each of test items of the coin (size, material and thickness) and they are operated at the frequencies suitable for the respective tests. As a result, the flows of signals in the detection system is complex and the circuit configuration is complex. Further, wiring cables for the detection coils must be shielded in order to prevent interference of the signals in the oscil-lation circuits.
In the circui~ of Fig. 9, two-side bridge im-pedance elements, di~ferential amplifier and comparator are required for one detection coil for each denomination of coin. Thus, the signal flows in the detection system i5 complex and a number o~ circuit components are required.
Further~ adjustment for balancing the bridge ~or each denomination of coin is required.
In the circuit of Fig. 10 t the detection coils are connected in series and the detection circuit including the oscillation circuits is simplified. Howevex, the independent detection coils are required one for each of the test items of the coin (size, material and thickness~, and the coin passage sensor and the detection circuit are required ~or each detection coil. Accordingly, the number of circuit components increases and the circuit configura tion is complex.
The prlor art selectlon apparatus are thus complex In the clrcult conflguratlon and requlre a large number of comPo-nents. ~ccordlngly, the cost Increases, chance of occurrenc~ of trouble 15 hlgh and servlceablll~y Is low because ~he slgnals In the detectlon system are comp~ex.
In a coln changer or an automatlc vendlng machlne whlch Incorporates the coln selectlon apparatus, a demand to reduce the slze oF the appara$us has been Increaslng. The prlor art appara--tus cannot satlsfy such demand.
The present Inventlon provldes a coln selectlon appara-tus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is fed, detectlon colls arranged along the coln path and a detectlon clrcult for detectlng changes of Impedances of the detectlon colls caused when the coln passes therethrough. The detectlon colls each Inctudes two colls arranged opposltely to the coln path, and at least two sets of such detectlon colls are arranged. Ali detec-tlon colls Includlng the two opposlng detectlon colls are con-nected In serles. By thls arrangement, three factors of the coln(slze, ma-terlai and thlckness) and an appearance dlfference from a reference coln ~re checked and the coln Is accurately selected wlth a very slmple conflguratlon and a small number oF compo-nents.
Accordlng to one aspect thereof the present Inventlon provldes a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln pa.h along whlch a coln Is fed; at least two coln sensors arranged along sald path and havlng Impedances whlch are changeable wlth the passage oF a coln therealong; a detectlon clrcult means for detectlng Impedance changes of sald coln sensors; and a dlscrlml-natlon clrcult means, connected to sald detectlon clrcult means 7 for dlscrImlnatlng coln characterlstlcs on the basls of the detected Impedances oF sald coln sensors; and whereln each of sald two coln sensors comprlses two colls opposlngly arranged to sald coln path, one oF sald two coln sensors has Its two colls ~f'~
connected In serles In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrImlnatlon oF coln materlal, the other of sald two coln sensors has Its two colls connecte~ In serles In phase opposltlon prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln thlckness, sald coln sensors are connected In serles, and sald one and sald other coln sensors have a deflned spaclng therebetween along sald coln path prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln dlameter, wlth sald spaclng belng smaller than a dlameter of the smallest one of the colns ~o be selected.
In one embodIment of the present Inventlon sald detec-tlon clrcult means includes a resonance clrcult Includlng sald serles connected coln sensors, an osclllatlon clrcult for gener-atlng a change of an osclllatlon voltage accordlng to a change o~
an Impedance of sald resonance clrcult, and a rectlflcatlon clr-cult for convertlng the change of the osclllatlon voltage Into a change of a D.C. voltage; and sald dlscrImlnatlon clrcult Includes means for measurlng and storlng data of the voltage lev-els of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C. voltage from sald detectlon clrcult, means for comparlng the voltage levels at -the peak and bottom polnts wlth a respectlve reference level for ~he coln to be selected, and means for dlscrlmlnatlng the mate-rlal, thIckness and dlameter of the roln on the basls of the com-pared results. Sultably sald data measurlng and storlng means measures and stores data of one voltage level and Its generation tlmlng at one peak polnt or bottom polnt and of another voltage level and Its generatlon tlmlng at another peak polnt or bot-tom polnt; sald voltage level comParlng means Inc!udes flrst means ~or comparlng a relatlve ratlo or relatlve dlfference of sald one and another voltage levels wlth a respectlve reference level for the coln to be selected, and second means for comparlng a ratlo oF the duratlon perlods across sald one and another voltage lev-els wlth a reference ratlo for the coln to be selected; and sald dlscrImlnatlon means further Includes means For dlscrImlnatlng false coln characterlstlcs other than dlameter, materlal and thlckness on the basls of a~ least one of the compared results of sald flrst and second means.
In another aspect thereoF ~he present Inventlon pro-vides a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is Fed; detect~on colls arranged along sald coln path and havlng Impedances changeable wlth passage of a co~n therealong; a detectlon clrcult comprlslng a resonance clrcult Includlng sald detectlon colls, an osclllatlon clrcult for gener-atlng a change of an osclllation voltage accordlng to a change of an Impedance of sald resonance clrcult, and a rectlflcatlon clr cult for convertlng the change of the osclllatlon voltage Into a change of a D.C. voltage; a dlscrlmlnatlon clrcult comprlslng m~ans for measurlng and storlng data of voltage levels of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C. voltage supplled from sald detectlon clrcult, means for comparlng the peak and bottom voltage levels wl-th respectlve reference levels for the coln to be selected, and means for dlscrImlnatlng materlal, thIckness and dlameter of the coln on the basls of the compared results; and whereln each of sald detectlon colls comprlses two coll segments opposlngly arranged to sald coln path wlth a flrst of sald detec-tlon colls havlng lts two coll segments connected In serles and In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln materlal, wlth a second of sald detectlon co!ls havlng lts two coll seg-ments connected In serles and In phase opposltlon prlnclpally ~or the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln thlckness, wlth all of sald detectlon colls Incluslve of sald flrst and second detectlon colls belng connected In serles, and wlth sald flrst and second detectlon colls belng spaced along saId path and deflnlng therebetween a spaclng smaller than a dlameter of the smallest coln selected for the dlscrImlnatlon of coln dlameter.
In a further aspect thereof the present Inventlon pro-vldes a coln selectlon apparatus comprlslng a coln path along whlch a coln Is Fed; a pluralIty of detectlon colls arranged 3~ along sald coln path and havlng Impedances changeable wlth pas-sage of a coln therealong; a detectlon clrcult means for detect-- 7a -Ing changes o~ Impedances of said detection colls; and a dlscrlm-lnatlon clrcult means, conne~ted to sald detectlon circult means, for measurlng and storlng data of the peak and bottom polnts of ~he Impedance changes of sald detectlon colls, for comparlng the stored data at the peak and bottom polnts wlth respectlve refer-ence values predetermlned for the obJectlve true colns to be selected, and for dlscrlmlnatlng the materlal, thlcl<ness and dlameter oF the coln passlng along sald path on the basls of the compared results; and whereln sald plurallty of detectlon colls Include at least two sets of detectlon colls each havlng two colls opposlngly arranged to sald coln path so that a coln passes between the colls of a set, all of sald detection colls Includlng sald opposlngly arranged colls are connected In serles and to sald detectlon clrcult means, one of sald sets of detectlon colls has Its two colls connected In serles and In phase prlnclpally for the dlscrlmlnatlon of coln materlal and the other of sald sets of detectlon colls has Its two colls connected In serles wlth opposite phases prlnclpally for the dlscrImlnatlon of coln thlckness, and sald one set of detectlon colls and sal d other set of detectlon colls are spaced a!ong sald coln path by a dlstance whlch Is smaller than a dlameter of a smallest one of the true colns to be selected prlnclpally for the dlssrlmlnatlon of coln dlameter. Sultably sald dlscrlmlnatlon clrcult means further Includes means for measuring and storlng data of the generatlon tlmlngs of the peak and bottom polnts of Impedance changes of sald detec~lon colls to measure and store data of a peak-to-peak duratlon perlod and a bottom-~o-bottom duratlon perlod; flrst means for comparlng a relatlve ratlo or re!atlve dlfference of one and another peak or bottom polnt wlth a respectlve reference level predetermlned for the o~Jectlve true coln; second means for comparlng a ratlo of sald duratlon perlods wlth a reference ratlo predetermlned for the true coln; and means for dlscrImlnatlng coln characterlstlcs other than dlameter, materlal and thlckness on the basls of at least one of the compared results of sald flrst and second means.
- 7b -~S'~
I n F I g . 1, a co I n 7 thrown I n F rom a port 2 of a -- 7c --1 coin selection apparatus 1 rolls down a graded ramp 3 and passes b~ a detection coil 8 and a detection coil 9, and if the coin 7 is determined to be a ~rue coin by the detection coils 8 and 9, a gate 4 IS opened and the coin 7 is fed to a true coin path 5. If the coin 7 is deter-mined to be a false coin, the gate 4 is not opened and the coin 7 is returned through a false coin path 6.
The first detection coil 8 and the second detec-tion coil 9 have coils 8a and 8b, and coils 9a and 9b connected in series as shown in Fig. lB and form a reson-ance circuit with capacitors Cl and C2. The resonance circuit and a feedback amplifier 15, base resistors R2 and R3, an emitter feedback resistor Rl and a transistor 31 form an oscillation circuit 12. The oscillation circuit 12 normally oscillates at a constant frequency determined by a series equivalent inductance of the detection coils 8 and 9 and the capacitors Cl and C2, and an A.C. output determined by a ratio of a load impedance of the resonance circuit and the emitter feedback resistor Rl is produced at a collector of a transistor ~1 As the thrown-in coin 7 approaches the detection coils 8 and 9, the load impedance of the resonance circuit changes depending on a conductivity of the coin 7~ a permeability ~ of the coin 7, a ~hickness ~ of the coin 7 and relative positions between the coin 7 and the detection coils 8 and 9, and the change appears as a change in the collector voltage of the transistor ~1 C3 denotes a D.C. blocking coupling capacitor.
1 The A.C. voltage output of the transistor ~1 is supplied to a rectification cir~uit 13 through the coupling capac-itor C3 and a detection output is ~aken out as a ~.C.
voltage. D~ and D2 denote rectifying diodes, C4 and R4 s denote fil~ering capacitor and resistor, and R5 and C5 denote resistor and capacitor of a low-pass filter, which bypasses a high frequency component of a steady oscillation frequency band of the oscillation circuit 12. Thus, the detection output free from a high frequency ripple noise is supplied to an A/D converter input terminal of a micro-computer 14. The pair of detection coils 8 and 9 are placed in grooves of pot-type ferrite cores 402A - 402D as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B with the coils 8a, 8b, 9a and 9b being embedded therein. In the present embodiment, the outer diameters of the detec~ion coils 8 and 9 are smaller than a minimum diameter of true coins as shown in Fig~ 4, and arranged in the coin paths 10 and 11 so that they are within the range of the diameter of the coin 7. Thus, the detection coils 8 and 9 are little influenced by the diameter of the true coin 7.
The detection coil 8 of Fig. 1 includes the coils 8a and 8b arranged opposingly to the coin paths 10 and 11 with a spacing of d3 therebetween, as shown in Fig.
2A. Those coils are connected in series and in phase.
Accordi.ngly, a direction of magnetic fluxes created thereby is in a direction to penetrate into the coin 7 as shwon by an arrow 410. Therefore, the magnetic fluxes change depending on the type of the coin 7 and the thickness and i6 1 material of the coin can be detected.
The second detec-tion coil 9 has coils 9a and 9b opposingly arranged to the coin paths 10 and 11 with the spacing d3 therebetween as shown..in Fig. 2B. Thoss coils are connected in series with opposite phases. Accordingly, a direction of magnetic fluxes created thereby is along the sur~ace of the coin 7 as shown by an arrow 411. When the coin is placed in the influence of the electromagnetic field, the penetration factor of the magnetic fluxes into the coin is given by d=l/~lwk~ (w=2~f)o If the frequency f is very high or the conductivity k is ver~ high~ the current and flux density in the coin are not zero and the densities thereof are smaller as they go toward the center of the coin. If the oscillation frequency determined by the resonance circuit is appropriately selected, the first detection coil 8 has a hish penetration factor and sensi-tively responds primarily to the material of the coin 7.
The second detection coil 9 has the magnetic fluxes along the surface of the coin. Thus, it sensitively responds to a distance dl+d2 between the detection coil 9 and the coin 7 and hence responds to the thickness of the coin 7 t=d3-(dl+d2). Accordingly, the detection coil 9 detects the thickness of the coin.
In the present e~bodiment, the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 12 is set to 115 KHz.
The surface wave depth d in copper (Cu~ which is frequently used for the coin is given below with a frequency being a parameter.
dH 0.05 ~m (f=1000 KH2~ k=1~2x10 ~ (v~m) dM-0.15 mm If= 115 KHz) ~=4~x10 (H/m) dL .5 mm (f= 10 KHz) 1 It has been known that the thickness of the coin can be determined accurately if the surface wave depth d meets a relationship of d/coin thickness ~ 0.1. On the other hand, from the standpoint of the determination of the material of the coin, the surface wave depth d is prefer-ably larger than the thickness of the coin and the oscil-lation frequency is preferably as low as possible. In the present embodiment, the detection coil 8 comprises the opposing sensors and the opposing coils 8a and 8b are connected in series and in phase 50 that the apparent sur-face wave depth d i5 large enough relative to the thickness of the co.in in determining the material of the coin.
Fig. 3 shows a typical example of a waveform of a detection voltage developed at the A/D converter input 1~ terminal of the microcomputer 14 of Fig. 1, when the coin 7 passes by the detection coils 8 and 9.
The microcomputer 14 sequentially reads in the detection voltages from the A/D converter input terminal and detects an-~`output voltage Eo when the coin 7 does not exist in the coin paths 10 and 11 and voltages Vdl (first bottom voltage), Vd2 ~second bottom voltage), Vd3 (third bottom voltage), Vpl (first peak voltage) and Vp2 (second peak voltage) at characteristic points of the change of the output voltage when the coin 7 passes through the coin ~P~
1 paths 10 and 11. The microcomputer 14 a].so detects and stores time relationships of the characteristic points such as a ti~e interval between Vdl detection and Vd2 detection and a peak period t2 f Vp1.
Figs. 5A and 5B show detection voltayes developed when a cixcular false coin 703 having a diameter equal to a minimum diameter of the true coins to be selected and a false coin 703 having a diameter equal to a maximum diam-eter of the true coins and having the same material and thickness as those of the false coin 703 are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11 in which the first detection coil 8 and the second detection coil 9 are arranged as shown in Fig. 4. A point 710 corresponds to the material of the coin and a point 711 corresponds to the thickness of the coin. In the present embodiment, the points 710 and 711 have no change because the coins 70~ and 703 are of the same material and thickness. A detection output for the false coin 702 when a mutual action between the second detection coil 9 and the false coin is eliminated is shown by a curve 704, and a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 706. The point 710 shows the vol~aye bottom point of the curves 704 and 706, a detection output for the false coin 702 when a mutual action between the first detection coil 8 and the false coin is eliminatecl is shown by a curve 705, and a detection ootput for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 707. The point 711 shows a voltage bottom point of the curves 705 and 707.
A distance Ds between the first detection coil 8 1 and the second detec-tion coil 9 is selected such taht the curve 704 does not affect to -the bottom 711 of the curve 705 and the curve 705 does not affect to the bottom of the curve 704 when the true coin passes through the detection coils 8 and 9. Accordingly, a combined output of the curves 704 and 705 is represented by a curve 708, and a combined output of the curves 706 and 707 are represented by a curve 709.
A test output voltage Vp25 of the comoined test output curve 708 on a crossing time axis of the curves 704 and 705, and a test output voltage Vp2L f the combined test output curve 709 on a crossing time axis of the curves 706 and 707 are different rom each other due to a dif-ference between areas of mutual actions between the coin and the detection coils 8 and 9, that is, a difference between the diameters of the coins. As a result, the voltage peaX points 712 and 713 on the combined test output curves 708 and 709 sensitively respond to the diameter of the coin. ~ selec~ing the distance between the detection coils 8 and 9 to be smaller than the diameter of the smal-lest one of ~he coins to be selected, the material of the coin can be detected by the voltage Vpl of the D.C. detec -tion voltage curve of Fig. 3, the thickness of the coin is detected by the voltage Vd3 and the diameter oE the coin is detected by the voltage Vd2.
~ he order of -the arrangement of the first detec-tion coil 8 and the second detection coil 9 along the flow of the coin may be reversed so long as the relative 1 positional relationship of the detection coils 8 and 9 is held in the manner shown in Fig. 4A~
Fig. 4B shows an arrangement of the detecti.on coils when a diameter detection coil is aclditionally used as a third detection coll.
Figs. 5C and 5D show detection voltage curves developed when the false coins 702 and 703 are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11. A detection output by the detection coil 8 and the false coin 702 when the mutual action between the 5econd and third detection coils 9 and 800 and the false coin is eliminated is sho~n by a curve 801~ and a detection output by the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 804.
Similarly, a detection output by the detection coil 9 and the false coin 702 is shown by a curve 802, a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a curve 805, a de~ection output by the detection coil 800 and the false coin 702 is shown by a curve 803, and a detection output for the false coin 703 is shown by a cuxve 806.
In the present embodiment, the third detection coil 800 is used to detect the size of the coin. The distance between the first detection coil 8 and the second detection coi.l 9 i5 selected such that, when the true coin passes therethrough, the curve 801 does not affect to the voltaye bottom point 810 of the curve 802 and the curve 802 does not affect to the voltage bottom point 809 of the curve 801. It need not be smaller than the minimum 1 diameter of the true coin.
On the other hand, the distance DS2 between the second detection coil 9 and the third detection coil 800 is selected to meet a similar relationship to the distance Ds between the first and second detection coils 8 and 9.
The level of the third detec-tion coil 800 from the ramp 3 is selected as shown in Fig. 4B 50 that the third detection coil 800 is largely affected by the diameter of the coin 7. As a result, the area opposing to the third detection coil 800 changes with the size of the coin and the voltage bottom points 811 and 812 on the curves 807 and 808 sensi-tively respond to the diameter of the coin.
The third detection coil 800 is preferably has opposing sensors like the second detection coil 9 and the coils are cormected in series and opposite phases so that the affect by the material to the detection output is reduced. Depending on the selection accurracy required by the coin selection apparatus, the third detection coil 800 may not be the opposing sensors.
Figs. 6A to 6C show characteristic curves devived from detection outputs when circular Ealse coins of white copper (CUNi~ and lead (Pb) are passed through the coin paths 10 and 11, with an abscissa representing a diameter ~ or a thickness t and an ordinate representing voltage Vpl~ Vd3 or Vp2O The voltage Vpl primaril~ responds to the material of the coin 7, Vd3 prima.rily responds to the thickness t of the coin 7 and Vp2 primarily responds to the diameter ~ of the coin 7.
1 Fig. 7 shows a compare/discriminatlon program in the microcomputer 14 of Fig. lB.
In steps 1 - 3, whekher Vpl 9 Vp2 and Vd3 are within predetermlned ranges or not is determined to dis~
criminate the material, diameter and thickness of the coin.
In order to enhance the rejection ability for the false coin and the discrimination ability for true coin, the mutual relationship betwPen the levels at the peak and bottom points of the detection output waveform shown in Fig. 3 and the time is determined in steps 4 and 5. In the step 4, an absolute value of a difference between Vdl and Vpl is compared with a predetermined range for each true coin. Assuming that there are a coin A and a coin B having the same material and thickness as the coin A and a larger diameter than the coin A, the present embodiment is effective to reject a false coin for the coin B which is manufactured by applying a ring o dif-ferent material to the coin A.
Even if the false coin is manufactured by the same material of the same diameter and thickness, if the coin has a center hole, relative difference between the peak and bottom points such as ¦Vdl-Vpl¦ or ¦Vpl-Vd2¦, or a rat.io of ~he time interval tl between Vdl and Vd2 and a time period t2 of Vp are different from those o~ the true ~5 coin. Accordingly, those features are checked for each type of coin.
Those differences between the true coin and the false coin could not be detected in the prior art apparatus.
1 In the present en~odiment, those differences are checked in combination to attain accurate discrimination of the true coin.
In accordance with the present invention, two sets of detection coils each having two coils opposingly arranyed in a predetermined spaced relationship along a coin path along which a coin is slid, and one set of detection circuit detect the -three factors of the coin (diameter, material and thickness) and the appearance difference from a reference coin (for example, presence or absence of a center hole). Accordingly, the coin can be accurately selected wi-th a very simple arrangement and a small number of components~ Thus, the serviciability is enhanced. The present invention can satisfy the require-ment for the compactness in the coin changer and the auto-matic vending machine which incorporate the coin selection apparatus.
Claims (7)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A coin selection apparatus comprising a coin path along which a coin is fed; at least two coin sensors arranged along said path and having impedances which are changeable with the passage of a coin therealong; a detection circuit means for detecting impedance changes of said coin sensors; and a discrimi-nation circuit means, connected to said detection circuit means, for discriminating coin characteristics on the basis of the detected impedances of said coin sensors; and wherein each of said two coin sensors comprises two coils opposingly arranged to said coin path, one of said two coin sensors has its two coils connected in series in phase principally for the discrimination of coin material, the other of said two coin sensors has its two coils connected in series in phase opposition principally for the discrimination of coin thickness, said coin sensors are connected in series, and said one and said other coin sensors have a defined spacing therebetween along said coin path principally for the discrimination of coin diameter, with said spacing being smaller than a diameter of the smallest one of the coins to be selected.
2. A coin selection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection circuit means includes a resonance circuit including said series connected coin sensors, an oscillation cir-cuit for generating a change of an oscillation voltage according to a change of an impedance of said resonance circuit, and a rec-tification circuit for converting the change of the oscillation voltage into a change of a D.C. voltage; and said discrimination circuit includes means for measuring and storing data of the voltage levels of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C.
voltage from said detection circuit, means for comparing the voltage levels at the peak and bottom points with a respective reference level for the coin to be selected, and means for dis-criminating the material, thickness and diameter of the coin on the basis of the compared results.
voltage from said detection circuit, means for comparing the voltage levels at the peak and bottom points with a respective reference level for the coin to be selected, and means for dis-criminating the material, thickness and diameter of the coin on the basis of the compared results.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data measuring and storing means measures and stores data of one voltage level and its generation timing at one peak point or bot-tom point and of another voltage level and its generation timing at another peak point or bottom point; said voltage level compar-ing means includes first means for comparing a relative ratio or relative difference of said one and another voltage levels with a respective reference level for the coin to be selected, and sec-ond means for comparing a ratio of the duration periods across said one and another voltage levels with a reference ratio for the coin to be selected; and said discrimination means further includes means for discriminating false coin characteristics other than diameter, material and thickness on the basis of at least one of the compared results of said first and second means.
4. A coin selection apparatus comprising a coin path along which a coin is fed; detection coils arranged along said coin path and having impedances changeable with passage of a coin therealong; a detection circuit comprising a resonance circuit including said detection coils, an oscillation circuit for gener-ating a change of an oscillation voltage according to a change of an impedance of said resonance circuit, and a rectification cir-cuit for converting the change of the oscillation voltage into a change of a D.C. voltage; a discrimination circuit comprising means for measuring and storing data of voltage levels of the peak and bottom of the change of the D.C. voltage supplied from said detection circuit, means for comparing the peak and bottom voltage levels with respective reference levels for the coin to be selected, and means for discriminating material, thickness and diameter of the coin on the basis of the compared results; and wherein each of said detection coils comprises two coil segments opposingly arranged to said coin path with a first of said detec-tion coils having its two coil segments connected in series and in phase principally for the discrimination of coin material, with a second of said detection coils having its two coil seg-ments connected in series and in phase opposition principally for the discrimination of coin thickness, with all of said detection coils inclusive of said first and second detection coils being connected in series, and with said first and second detection coils being spaced along said path and defining therebetween a spacing smaller than a diameter of the smallest coin selected for the discrimination of coin diameter.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said data measuring and storing means measures and stores data of one voltage level and its generation timing at one peak point or bot-tom point and of another voltage level and its generation timing at another peak point or bottom point; said voltage level compar-ing means includes first means for comparing a relative ratio or relative difference of said one and another voltage levels with respective reference level for the coin to be selected, and sec-ond means for comparing a ratio of duration periods across said one and another voltage levels with a reference ratio for the coin to be selected; and said discrimination means further includes means for discriminating false coin characteristics other than diameter, material and thickness on the basis of at least one of the compared results of said first and second means.
6. A coin selection apparatus comprising a coin path along which a coin is fed; a plurality of detection coils arranged along said coin path and having impedances changeable with passage of a coin therealong; a detection circuit means for detecting changes of impedances of said detection coils; and a discrimination circuit means, connected to said detection circuit means, for measuring and storing data of the peak and bottom points of the impedance changes of said detection coils, for com-paring the stored data at the peak and bottom points with respec-tive reference values predetermined for the objective true coins to be selected, and for discriminating the material, thickness and diameter of the coin passing along said path on the basis of the compared results; and wherein said plurality of detection coils include at least two sets of detection coils each having two coils opposingly arranged to said coin path so that a coin passes between the coils of a set, all of said detection coils including said opposingly arranged coils are connected in series and to said detection circuit means, one of said sets of detec-tion coils has its two coils connected in series and in phase principally for the discrimination of coin material and the other of said sets of detection coils has its two coils connected in series with opposite phases principally for the discrimination of coin thickness, and said one set of detection coils and said other set of detection coils are spaced along said coin path by a distance which is smaller than a diameter of a smallest one of the true coins to be selected principally for the discrimination of coin diameter.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said discrimination circuit means further includes means for measuring and storing data of the generation timings of the peak and bottom points of impedance changes of said detection coils to measure and store data of a peak-to-peak duration period and a bottom-to-bottom duration period; first means for comparing a relative ratio or relative difference of one and another peak or bottom point with a respective reference level predetermined for the objective true coin; second means for comparing a ratio of said duration periods with a reference ratio predetermined for the true coin; and means for discriminating coin characteristics other than diameter, material and thickness on the basis of at least one of the compared results of said first and second means.
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP60105005A JPS61262992A (en) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-05-17 | Coin selector |
| JP105005/85 | 1985-05-17 | ||
| JP105003/85 | 1985-05-17 | ||
| JP60105004A JPS61262991A (en) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-05-17 | Coin selector |
| JP10500385A JPS61262990A (en) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-05-17 | Coin selector |
| JP105004/85 | 1985-05-17 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1254966A true CA1254966A (en) | 1989-05-30 |
Family
ID=27310372
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000491731A Expired CA1254966A (en) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-09-27 | Coin selection apparatus |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4705154A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0202378B1 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR890002334B1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1006584B (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1254966A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3585158D1 (en) |
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- 1985-09-23 US US06/779,122 patent/US4705154A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-09-27 CA CA000491731A patent/CA1254966A/en not_active Expired
- 1985-09-27 DE DE8585306912T patent/DE3585158D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-09-27 EP EP85306912A patent/EP0202378B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-09-28 CN CN85107241A patent/CN1006584B/en not_active Expired
- 1985-10-22 KR KR1019850007772A patent/KR890002334B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| KR860009361A (en) | 1986-12-22 |
| EP0202378B1 (en) | 1992-01-08 |
| CN1006584B (en) | 1990-01-24 |
| EP0202378A3 (en) | 1987-08-19 |
| US4705154A (en) | 1987-11-10 |
| EP0202378A2 (en) | 1986-11-26 |
| KR890002334B1 (en) | 1989-06-30 |
| DE3585158D1 (en) | 1992-02-20 |
| CN85107241A (en) | 1986-11-12 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |