Anti-theft coin monitoring sensor unit for a coin hopper dispenser
AssigneeAsahi Seiko USA, Inc.
InventorDonald Lee Seagle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coin dispensing apparatus can sequentially dispense coins through a passageway to a discharge location. A coin sensor unit can be operatively mounted to monitor the movement of coins along the coin passageway to provide an output signal representative of movement of the coins through the passageway. A comparator circuit can compare the output signal with a predetermined threshold value and when the alarm signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it can activate a control circuit for activating an alarm signal indicating an abnormal condition in the coin dispensing apparatus.
Claims17
In a coin dispensing apparatus that sequentially dispenses coins through a coin passageway to a discharge location, the improvement comprising,
- a coin sensor unit operatively mounted to monitor an accumulation of coins at the coin passageway to provide an output signal representative of the accumulation of the coins at the coin passageway, the passageway is defined by surrounding walls;
- a comparator circuit for comparing the output signal with a predetermined threshold value;
- a control circuit for activating an alarm signal when the output signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value whereby the alarm signal will indicate an abnormal condition in the coin dispensing apparatus;
- and
- a motor for driving a selecting disc to dispense coins wherein the control circuit stops activation of the motor when the alarm signal is produced.
A coin dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a hopper for storing coins;
- a rotatable coin selecting disc member operatively connected to the hopper for selectively selectively picking up coins;
- a motor for driving the rotatable coin selecting disc member;
- a coin passageway operatively positioned relative to the rotatable coin selecting disc member for receiving coins from the rotatable coin selecting disc member and discharging the coins from the coin dispensing apparatus;
- a coin counting unit for counting the coins provided into the coin passageway;
- a coin sensor unit operatively mounted to monitor the accumulating coins at the coin passageway to provide an output signal representative of the accumulating coins at the coin passageway, the passageway is defined by surrounding walls;
- a comparator circuit for comparing the output signal with a predetermined threshold value;
- and
- a control circuit for activating an alarm signal when the output signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value whereby the alarm signal will indicate an abnormal condition in the coin dispensing apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.