# US 2014/0194045 A1 · Apparatus and method for sorting coins > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194045 A1 - Document ID: US20140194045A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/009,356 - Filed: 2012-04-05 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-07 - Assignees: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH - Inventors: Arno Fischer; Bruno Gruenberger; Daniel Obermayr - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194045A1 ## CPC - G07D 3/14: Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements - G07D 1/00: Coin dispensers (devices delivering paper currency G07D11/00) - G07D 3/125: {by moving deflectors} - G07D 5/02: Testing the dimensions, e.g. thickness, diameter; Testing the deformation - G07D 5/08: Testing the magnetic or electric properties - G07D 9/00: Counting coins (in combination with coin-sorting G07D3/16); Handling of coins not provided for in the other groups of this subclass - G07D 9/008: {Feeding coins from bulk} - G07D 9/06: Devices for stacking or otherwise arranging coins on a support, e.g. apertured plate for use in counting coins - G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING ## Abstract The invention relates to a device for sorting coins, the diameter and thickness of which are within predefined size ranges. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for sorting coins, the diameter and thickness of which are within predefined size ranges, said device comprising: a storage container for unsorted coins, at least one coin conveying unit having two parallel, jointly driven, endlessly circulating pulling means, wherein an upper run of the pulling means, that conveys the coins upwards from the storage container and is oriented such that it raises in a conveying direction, forms part of the wall of the storage container, with a sliding bar extended in the conveying direction for supporting the coins during conveying, wherein the sliding bar is arranged between the pulling means in the region of the upper run, and with coin receptacles for the conveyed coins, wherein the coin receptacles have driver pins provided on the pulling means and assigned to one another in pairs, which project beyond the sliding bar by an extent exceeding the predefined greatest coin thickness, a coin separating unit for separating the coins conveyed from the storage container in the coin receptacles, with a shearing device for coins lying axially above one another in the coin receptacles, wherein the sliding bar, as a shearing device, has a run-on ramp, the height of which is less than the projection of the driver pins beyond the sliding bar and greater than the difference between the projection of the driver pins and the smallest predefined coin thickness, and with a return device for coins lying radially above one another in the coin receptacles, wherein the return device has a signal generator for detecting an extension of the coins in the conveying direction and a returner arranged downstream of the signal generator for returning the coins from the coin receptacle into the storage container, a coin recognition unit arranged downstream of the coin separating unit, as seen in the conveying direction, for identifying different types of coins by means of at least one characteristic feature of the separated coins, and a discharge unit for the separated coins interacting with the coin recognition unit and being arranged downstream of the coin recognition unit, as seen in the conveying direction, wherein the discharge unit is designed as a discharge unit for discharging coins of one single type and has at least one ejector, wherein the at least one ejector is controlled by a control unit in such a manner that the coins identified by the coin recognition unit are supplied to different collecting containers in accordance with the identified characteristic feature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a control unit interacts with a detection unit for detecting a conveying speed of the coins, with the coin recognition unit and the at least one ejector in such a manner that a point in time for actuating the ejector is determinable under consideration of the conveying speed of the coins and/or of a distance of the ejector from the coin recognition unit and/or of the coin diameter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a guiding unit is arranged between the ejector and the collecting containers, by means of which the coins ejected from the coin receptacles are suppliable to the collecting containers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ejectors is provided that are arranged in series in the conveying direction, wherein the number of ejectors is in correspondence with the number of types of coins. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein in the conveying direction, a plurality of ejectors and a plurality of detectors are arranged in series in an alternating manner, wherein by means of the detectors it can be verified whether the coins are duly ejected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge unit has a plurality of discharge modules arranged in series in the conveying direction, wherein each of the discharge modules has an ejector and a detector arranged downstream of the ejector and wherein exactly one collecting container is assigned to each of the discharge modules. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein as the characteristic feature of the coins, the diameter of the coins is detected by the coin recognition unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein as the characteristic feature of the coins, a material composition of the coins is detected. ### Claim 9 A method for sorting coins provided in an unsorted manner in a storage container, wherein the coins are conveyed out of the storage container by means of a coin conveying unit, wherein the coins are separated by means of a coin separating unit in such a manner that, in the coin receptacles of the coin conveying unit receiving the coins when conveyed, only one coin is provided respectively, and wherein a characteristic feature of the coins is detected in a coin recognition unit for identifying different types of coins, wherein the coins are then sorted so as to be of one singly type, wherein the coins are ejected from the coin receptacles and supplied to different collecting containers depending on the type of coin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the coins are ejected from the coin receptacles by means of at least one ejector, wherein for controlling the at least one ejector, a distance of the ejector from the coin recognition unit as well as a conveying speed of the coins on the coin conveying unit are interlinked.