Coin analyzer sensor configuration and system

A coin detecting sensor comprising:

• a generally C-shaped core of ferro-magnetic material including a bight portion and a pair of spaced apart arms extending in a same direction from said bight portion, defining a coin sensing region between said arms, wherein said core is divided into two core portions divided by a secondary air gap;
• and
• at least one coil magnetically coupled with said core in order to generate a magnetic flux in said core and across said coin sensing region and said secondary air gap when said coil is excited with electrical energy.

A coin detecting sensor comprising:

• a generally C-shaped core of ferro-magnetic material including a bight portion and a pair of spaced apart arms extending in a same direction from said bight portion, defining a coin sensing region between said arms, wherein said arms define facing surfaces and wherein said facing surfaces converge outwardly from said bight portion to define a multiplicity of facing surface portions that are separated by distances predetermined to provide a uniform magnetic circuit reluctance through all said facing surface portions;
• and
• at least one coil magnetically coupled with said core in order to generate a magnetic flux in said core and across said coin sensing region when said coil is excited with electrical energy.

A coin detecting system adapted to detecting whether a coin passing through a coin passageway is a particular one of a plurality of denominations comprising:

• a sensor unit including a body having spaced apart sides defining an air gap in said body, a coin passageway having a width larger than the diameter of the largest coin of the particular denominations to be detected defined in said air gap, means for generating a magnetic flux from one of said sides to the other of said sides through said air gap and a return path in said body for said magnetic flux to said one of said sides from said other one of said sides wherein a uniform flux density extends across said width of said coin passageway substantially completely to thereby allow the identify of any coin of the particular denominations to be detected irrespective of the position of the coin in the coin passageway;
• and
• a detection circuit responsive to said magnetic flux when a coin is in said air gap and adapted to determining if said coin is of a particular type of coin.

A coin detecting system comprising:

• a sensor unit including a body having spaced apart sides defining an air gap in said body said air gap being configured to position a coin in said air gap, means for generating a magnetic flux from one of said sides to the other of said sides through said air gap and a return path in said body for said magnetic flux to said one of said sides from said other one of said sides;
• and
• a detection circuit responsive to said magnetic flux when a coin is in said air gap and adapted to determining if said coin is of a particular type of coin, wherein said detection circuit includes an oscillator having an induction device magnetically coupled with said body such that a coin in said air gap disturbs said oscillator and feedback means for restoring said oscillator to a quiescent condition, said detection circuit further including means for monitoring said feedback means.

A coin detecting sensor adapted to detect whether a coin passing through a coin passageway is a particular one of a plurality of denominations having a range of diameters, comprising a body having spaced apart sides defining an air gap in said body, a coin passageway having a width larger than the diameter of the largest coin of the particular denominations to be detected defined in said air gap, a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux from one of said sides to the other one of said sides through said air gap and a return path in said body for conducting said magnetic flux to said one of said sides from said another one of said sides, wherein a uniform flux density extends across said width of said coin passageway substantially completely to thereby allow any of said plurality of denominations to be detected irrespective of position of the coin in the coin passageway.