# US 12,183,146 B2 · Coin handling apparatus and coin handling method

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- Number: US 12,183,146 B2
- Document ID: US12183146B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/121,020
- Filed: 2023-03-14
- Published: 2023-09-21
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2022-03-16
- Assignees: Glory Ltd.
- Applicants: Glory Ltd.
- Inventors: Kazuaki Nishimura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183146B2

## CPC

- G07D 9/002: {Coin holding devices}
- G07D 11/00: Devices accepting coins; Devices accepting, dispensing, sorting or counting valuable papers
- G07F 11/46: from movable storage containers or supports
- G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

A coin handling apparatus includes the following: a cassette attachment unit where a cassette is detachably attached; a coin supply unit that supplies a coin to the cassette; and a control unit that causes the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit to perform a first confirmation operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette when the cassette does not satisfy a predetermined condition, and operates the coin supply unit to supply a coin to the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit without causing the cassette to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette satisfies the predetermined condition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A coin handling apparatus, comprising:
a cassette attachment unit where a cassette is configured to be attached;
a coin supply unit configured to supply a coin to the cassette; and
a control unit that
causes the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit to perform a first confirmation operation when the cassette does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the first confirmation operation being an operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette, and
operates the coin supply unit to supply a coin to the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit without causing the cassette to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette satisfies the predetermined condition, wherein:
the cassette comprises a conveyor configured to transport a coin in the cassette and a sensor configured to detect a coin in the cassette; and
the first confirmation operation is an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin to a detection area of the sensor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
when an error occurs in the coin supply unit or the cassette while a coin is being supplied from the coin supply unit to the cassette, the control unit causes the cassette to perform a second confirmation operation different from the first confirmation operation, the second confirmation operation being for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the second confirmation operation comprises an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin in a first direction toward the detection area of the sensor and an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin in a second direction different from the first direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit is configured to acquire an inventory amount in the cassette; and
when the sensor detects a coin as a result of the first confirmation operation even though the inventory amount is 0, the control unit generates a signal to notify that a coin has been detected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the control unit is configured to acquire the inventory amount from a memory comprised in the cassette.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the predetermined condition is a condition such that the cassette is attached to the cassette attachment unit within a predetermined time after last emptying of the cassette.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The coin handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the predetermined condition is a condition such that the cassette is attached to the cassette attachment unit of the coin handling apparatus having last emptied the cassette.

### Claim 8

A coin handling method that is performed by a coin handling apparatus configured to supply a coin to a cassette, the coin handling method comprising:
determining whether or not the cassette attached to a cassette attachment unit satisfies a predetermined condition;
causing the cassette to perform a first confirmation operation when the cassette does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the first confirmation operation being an operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette; and
supplying a coin to the cassette without causing the cassette to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette satisfies the predetermined condition, wherein:
the cassette comprises a conveyor configured to transport a coin in the cassette and a sensor configured to detect a coin in the cassette; and
the first confirmation operation is an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin to a detection area of the sensor.