Coin dispenser device and machine

Abstract

 A coin dispenser device comprises an inlet (2) for a coin and an outlet channel (3) flowing out into an outlet (4) for the coin.
Said device (1) further comprises opening and closing means (5) of the outlet channel (3), said opening and closing means (5) are connected to the inlet (2) through an inlet channel (6) having overall dimensions corresponding to a coin or slightly bigger.
In an operating condition, the coin inserted through the inlet (2) in the inlet channel (6) is kept in said channel (6), which works as a container, by the opening and closing means (5); following a respective control the opening and closing means (5) allow the passage of the coin into the outlet channel (3) and the outlet of the coin from the device (1) through the outlet (4) emptying the inlet channel (6) arranging this latter in order to receive another coin.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns the dispensers and it refers to a dispenser device for a coin having small dimensions.

[0002] There are known dispenser devices provided with a container or a tank for a plurality of coins which, after a control, deliver a coin.

[0003] Said devices have relatively high dimensions and have the disadvantages of being difficult to protect against burglary attempts and of requiring very wide spaces when a lot of them need to be installed in a single apparatus, as an example for dispensing coins or tokens of different values.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to propose a dispenser device for a coin, having small or tiny dimensions, easy to be installed in apparatuses with reduced overall dimensions.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to propose a device whose minimum contents of coins do not attract burglary attempts and it is easy to protect.

[0006] Further object is to propose a device being fit to work in combination with others of the same type, in an apparatus downstream to a coins selector and under a control and managing unit.

[0007] Another object is to propose a machine to deliver coins or tokens, provided with a set of dispenser devices for a coin.

[0008] The characteristics of the invention are highlighted in the following with reference to the attached figures in which:

• figure 1 shows a front view of the dispenser device for a coin object of the present invention;
• figure 2 shows a lateral view of figure 1;
• figures 3 and 4 show enlarged bottom and top views of the device of figure 1.
• figure 5 shows a back view of the device of figure 1;
• figure 6 shows a front partial view of a second embodiment of the dispenser device.

[0009] With reference to the figures 1-5, numeral 1 indicates the dispenser device for a coin, object of the present invention, comprising an inlet 2 for a coin that allows such coin to access to an inlet channel 6 that flows, through opening and closing means 5, activated by an actuator, into an outlet channel 3 flowing outside the device through a respective outlet 4 for the coin.

[0010] The opening and closing means 5, at control open and close the outlet channel 3 preventing, once closed, the coin from exiting from the inlet channel 6 which coin has overall dimensions correspondent to those of a coin or slightly greater. The device allows the outgoing of the coin by gravity.

[0011] In the operating condition of device 1, inlet 2, the inlet channel 6, the opening and closing means 5, the outlet channel 3 and outlet 4 are placed to progressively decreasing levels in order to allow the passage of the coin through the device 1 by gravity.

[0012] The opening and closing means 5 are of type normally closed and if a respective control is received, as an example consisting in an impulse or in an electrical signal, are opened for the passage of the coin.

[0013] Such opening and closing means 5 are of electromagnet or solenoid type, or of rotating or linear electric motor type or of other type used in these applications and the like.

[0014] The device 1 comprises a detector means 7 of the coin placed in the outlet channel 3 in order to detect the passage of the coin verifying the right delivery and in order to generate a correspondent electrical signal.

[0015] The device may comprise further detector means 7 of the coin placed in the inlet channel 6 in order to detect the presence of the coin inside of such channel and in order to generate a correspondent electrical signal.

[0016] The invention alternatively provides the use of detector means in only one or both channels 3, 6. The detector means 7 are of magnetic, inductive, capacitive type or, preferably of optical type with a respective luminous path between luminous emitter and receiver of light that passes through the respective channel 3, 6.

[0017] The device 1 has frontal width and height dimensions respectively comprised between 1,3 and 5,0 and between 1,5 and 7,0 times the diameter of the coin or the token.

[0018] Optionally the device can comprise hopper means, as an example made of plastic, which may be fixed to the inlet 2 with an upper mouth fit to easy the incoming of the coin supplied by an upstream device and a lower outlet faced to the inlet 2 of the device 1.

[0019] The hopper means has joint or screw connection for correspondent connection of the body of the device 1 and has four tilted walls convergent towards the own lower outlet or towards the inlet 2 edges.

[0020] The operation of the device provides that, in the operating condition, the coin inserted through the inlet 2 into the inlet channel 6 is kept in such channel 6, that it acts as a container, by the opening and closing means 5.

[0021] As a result of a respective electrical control, as an example consisting in the electrical supply for a determined period of time of the solenoid of the opening and closing means 5, the opening and closing means 5 allow the passage of the coin in the outlet channel 3 and the exiting of the same coin from the device 1 through the outlet 4 emptying the inlet channel 6 predisposing it in order to receive another coin.

[0022] The machine for distributing coins, object of the present invention, does not demand detailed explanatory figures and comprises a selector device of coins, as an example of known type and supplied by a tank of various coins. Such selector device is equipped with a set of outlets, each one for a determined type of coin or token.

[0023] Each one of such outlets is connected, as an example through hopper means or a duct, to an inlet 2 of a respective dispenser device 1 for one coin or token.

[0024] The machine comprises control and management means, of a digital processor programmable type, connected to the selector device of coins and each one of the dispenser devices for a coin 1 in order to realize the controlled and coordinated operation of the machine.

[0025] The control and management means have inputs for the signals of each detector means 7 and outputs in order to activate each opening and closing means 5.

[0026] The operation of the machine provides that the various dispenser devices 1 supply the respective coin under control of the control and management means and that they are supplied with the coin by the selection means, as a result of correspondent control of the control and management means.

[0027] Figure 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the dispenser device for a coin in which opening and closing means 5 comprises a first shutter 5a and a second shutter 5b and in which the outlet channel 3 is constituted of a first outlet channel 3a for a first outlet of the coin, a second outlet channel 3b for the socalled cash outlet, a third outlet channel 3c for the third outlet of the coin and a fourth outlet channel 3d for the refuse outlet of the coin.

[0028] The operation of the device is similar to that one described for the first embodiment with the unique difference that, as a result of a first control of opening of the first shutter 5a, the coin passes in the first outlet channel 3a, and as a result of a second opening control of the first shutter 5a the coin passes in a second outlet channel 3b, while, as a result of a first opening control of the second shutter 5b, the coin passes in the third outlet channel 3c, and as a result of a second opening control of the second shutter 5b the coin passes in the fourth outlet channel 3d.

[0029] An advantage of the present invention is to provide a dispenser device for a coin, having small or tiny dimensions, ease to be installed in apparatuses with reduced overall dimensions.

[0030] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a device whose minimum contents of coins do not attract burglary attempts and it is easy to protect.

[0031] Further advantage is to provide a device being fit to work in combination with others of the same type, in an apparatus downstream to a coins selector and under a control and managing unit.

[0032] Another advantage is to provide a machine to deliver coins or tokens, provided with a set of dispenser devices for a coin.

Claims

1. Coin dispenser device comprising an inlet (2) for a coin and at least an outlet channel (3) flowing into an outlet (4) for the coin, said device (1) is characterized in that it comprises opening and closing means (5) of the outlet channel (3), said opening and closing means (5) are connected to the inlet (2) through an inlet channel (6) having overall dimensions corresponding to or slightly bigger than a coin dimensions; in an operating condition, the coin inserted through the inlet (2) into the inlet channel (6) is kept in said channel (6), which works as a container, by the opening and closing means (5); following a respective control the opening and closing means (5) allow the passage of the coin into the outlet channel (3) and the outgoing of the coin from the device (1) through the outlet (4) emptying the inlet channel (6) arranging this latter in order to receive another coin.

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that in the operating condition the inlet (2), the inlet channel (6), the opening and closing means (5), the outlet channel (3) and the outlet (4) are placed at decreasing levels for the passage of the coin by gravity.

3. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the opening and closing means (5) are of the normally closed type and in that once received a respective control consisting in an impulse or an electrical signal they open for the coin passage.

4. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the opening and closing means (5) are of the electromagnet or solenoid type, or of the electrical rotation or linear motor type or of other types.

5. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises at least a detector means (7) of the coin.

6. Device according to claim 5 characterized in that the detector means (7) is placed in the inlet channel (6) in order to detect the presence of the coin

7. Device according any of the claims 5 characterized in that the detector means (7) is placed in the outlet channel (3) in order to detect the passage of the coin.

8. Device second characterized claim 5 characterized in that it comprises a detector means (7) placed in the inlet channel (6) and a further detector means (7) in the outlet channel.

9. Device according claim 5 characterized in that each detector means (7) is of the magnetic, inductive, capacitive, or preferably optic type.

10. Device according to anyone of the previous claims characterized in that it has height and width front dimensions respectively comprised between 1,3 and 5,0 and between 1,5 and 7,0 times the coin diameter.

11. Device according to anyone of the previous claims characterized in that it comprises a hopper means fixable to the inlet (2) in order to easy the coin incoming.

12. Device according to claim 11 characterized in that the hopper means has joint connections for corresponding device body connections and has four tilted walls convergent towards the inlet (2) edges.

13. Device according to anyone of the previous claims characterized in that the opening and closing means (5) comprise at least a shutter (3a, 3b) activated for opening and closing by means of a relative actuator.

14. Device according to the claim 13 characterized in that it comprises two shutters, a first shutter (5a) and a second shutter (5b), with the outlet channel (3) constituted by a first outlet channel (3a), a second outlet channel (3b), a third outlet channel (3c) and a fourth outlet channel (3d); after a first opening control of the first shutter (5a) the coin passes into the first outlet channel (3a), after a second opening control of the first shutter (5a) the coin passes into the second outlet channel (3b), after a first opening control of the first shutter (5b) the coin passes into the third outlet channel (3c), and after a second opening control of the second shutter (5b) the coin passes into the fourth outlet channel (3d).

15. Machine for distributing coins comprising at least a device according to anyone of the previous claims characterized in that it comprises at least a coins selector device provided with a set of outlets each one connected to an inlet (2) of a respective dispenser device (1) for a coin.

16. Machine according to claim 15 characterized in that it comprises control and management means connected to the coins selector device and to each one of the dispenser device(1) for a coin.

17. Machine according to claims 5 and 15 characterized in that the control and management means have inputs for each detector means (7) and outputs for each opening and closing means (5).

18. Machine according to claim 15 characterized in that it is of the digital processor programmable type.

Drawing