GB2436387A

GB2436387A - Coin dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2436387A
Application number: GB0605867A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shu-Chuan Chung
Original assignee: SHANG YANG CO Ltd
Current assignee: SHANG YANG CO Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-23
Filing date: 2006-03-23
Publication date: 2007-09-26
Also published as: GB0605867D0

Abstract

A coin dispenser includes: a housing (21) having a support wall (215); a rotary plate (41) disposed rotatably on the support wall (215), and formed with coin holes (42) and corresponding coin passages (43); a drive module (3) including a frame (34) mounted in the housing (21), a drive unit (31) secured to the frame (34), a speed-reducing unit (32) disposed in the frame (34) and driven by the drive unit (31), and a drive shaft (33) driven by the speed-reducing unit (32) and extending through the support wall (215) to drive the rotary plate (41); and a coin stop (51) mounted on the support wall (215). The coin stop (51) stops a coin (8) in one of the coin holes (42) to dispense the coin (8) from the coin hole (42) via the respective coin passage (43) when the rotary plate (41) rotates.

Description

1 2436387

COIN DISPENSER

The present invention relates to a coin dispenser, more particularly to a coin dispenser having a drive module that drives rotation of a coin holder.

A common configuration used in conventional dispensers is that in which coins are dispensed one at a time upon rotation of a rotary plate. Fig. 1 shows an example of such a conventional coin dispenser.

The coin dispenser 1 of Fig. 1 includes a housing 11, a base plate 12 mounted to a lower end of the housing 11, a rotary plate 13 disposed rotatably on an upper surface of the housing 11, an adjusting plate 14 mounted on the base plate 12, a motor 15 mounted on the base plate 12, a speed-reducing unit 16 mounted to the adjusting plate 14 and driven by the motor 15, a drive shaft 17 coupled to and driven rotatably by the speed-reducing unit 16, and a coin-guiding unit 18 mounted on the adjusting plate 14.

The housing 11 is formed with a plate receiving recess 111 to receive rotatably the rotary plate 13, a hole 112, and a coin exit 113 to dispense coins (not shown) held by the rotary plate 13. The drive shaft 17 passes through the hole 112 in the housing 11 to couple with the rotary plate 13. The motor 15 drives the speed-reducing unit 16 to rotate the drive shaft 17.

The resulting rotation of the rotary plate 13 functions to dispense the coins held by the rotary plate 13 out through the coin exit 113 in cooperation with the coin-guiding unit 18.

A drawback of the above configuration is that since the motor 15 and the speed-reducing unit 16 are mounted separately to the base plate 12, or more precisely are mounted respectively to the base plate 12 and the adjusting plate 14, much care must be taken during manufacture to ensure that the motor 15 and the speed-reducing unit 16 are precisely positioned relative to each other so that proper meshing between gears of these elements may occur. Any divergence from their intended positions may result in improper operation of the coin dispenser, and even damage to the motor 15 and/or the speed-reducing unit 16.

Furthermore, the individual mounting of the adjusting plate 14, the motor 15, the speed-reducing unit 16, the drive shaft 17, and the coin-guiding unit 18 directly or indirectly on the base plate 12 makes assembly complicated and time-consuming. Because of the precise interaction required among these elements, this may also make it difficult to directly apply the assembly of these elements to coin dispensers of different configurations than that shown in Fig. 1, thereby making mass customization impractical.

The object of this invention is to provide a coin dispenser having a drive module that can ensure precise relative positioning of elements of the drive module, that can simplify manufacture, and that can facilitate mass customization of coin dispensers of varying configurations.

According to this invention, the coin dispenser includes: ahousingincludinga support wall having outer and inner surfaces; a coin holder disposed rotatably on the outer surface of the support wall, and including a rotaryplate formedwith a pluralityof angularly spaced apart coin holes adapted for respectively receiving coins, the rotary plate having a bottom periphery formed with a plurality of coin passages, each of which is in spatial communication with a respective one of the coin holes and permits removal of the coin in the respective one of the coin holes therethrough; a drive module including a frame mounted in the housing, a drive unit secured to the frame, a speed-reducing unit disposed in the frame and coupled to and driven by the drive unit, and a drive shaft coupled to and driven rotatably by the speed-reducing unit, extending through the support wall of the housing, and coupled to the rotary plate of the coin holder for driving the rotary plate of the coin holder to rotate; and a resilient coin stop mounted on the inner surface of the support wall of the housing, extending through the support wall toward the rotary plate of the coin holder, and projecting resiliently from the outer surface of the support wall.

The resilient coin stop is disposed to stop the coin

I

in an aligned one of the coin holes such that the coin is moved out of the aligned one of the coin holes via the respective one of the coin passages when the rotary plate is driven by the drive module to rotate on the outer surface of the support wall.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional coin dispenser; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a coin dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the coin dispenser of Fig. 2 in an assembled state; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a drive module of the preferred embodiment; Figs. 5-8 are schematic views used to describe sequential steps in a coin dispensing operation of the preferred embodiment; and Fig. 9 is a partly exploded perspective view used to describe application of the drive module of the preferred embodiment to a coin dispenser of an alternative configuration than that to which the drive module is applied in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 2-4, a coin dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 21, a coin holder 4, a drive module 3, a coin-guiding unit 5, and a base plate 6.

The housing 21 has an open bottom end, and includes a support wall 215 opposite to the open bottom end and having outer and inner surfaces. The support wall 21 is formed with a through hole 211 and a plurality of first fastener holes 213. Further, the outer surface of the support wall 215 is formed with a plate receiving recess 216, and a coin exit 212 in spatial communication with the plate receiving recess 216.

The coin holder 4 is disposed rotatably on the outer surface of the support wall 215, and includes a rotary plate 41 disposed rotatably in the plate receiving recess 216 in the support wall 215 of the housing 21. The rotary plate 41 is formed with a plurality of angularly spaced apart coin holes 42 adapted for respectively receiving coins 8 (see Fig. 3). The rotary plate 41 has a bottom periphery formed with a plurality of coin passages 43, each of which is in spatial communication with a respective one of the coin holes 42 and permits removal of the coin 8 in the respective one of the coin holes 42 therethrough. The coins 8 are dispensed from the plate receiving recess 216 and outwardly of the housing 21 through the coin exit 212 in the support wall 215 of thehousing2l, inamannertobedescribedhereinafter.

The drive module 3 includes a frame 34 mounted in the housing 21, a drive unit 31 secured to the frame 34, a speed-reducing unit 32 disposed in the frame 34 and coupled to and driven by the drive unit 31, and a drive shaft 33 coupled to and driven rotatably by the speed- reducing unit 32. The drive shaft 33 further extends through the through hole 211 in the support wall 215 of the housing 21, and is coupled to the rotary plate 41 of the coin holder 4 for driving the rotary plate 41 of the coin holder 4 to rotate. In the preferred embodiment, the frame 34 of the drive module 3 is formed with second fastener holes 343, and is fastened to the inner surface of the support wall 215 of the housing 21 using screw fasteners 7 passed respectively through the first fastener holes 213 in the support wall 215 and secured to the second fastener holes 343 in the frame 34 of the drive module 3.

The frame 34 of the drive module 3 includes a ring part 342 having an inner ring surface formed with ring gear teeth 341. The speed-reducing unit 32 of the drive module 3 includes a sun gear 321, and a plurality of planet gears 322 meshing with the sun gear 321 and the ring gear teeth 341 and being rotatable about the sun gear 321. The drive module 3 further includes a gear carrier 323 having the planet gears 322 mounted thereon, and a coupling plate 35 connected to one end of the drive shaft 33 and further connected to the planet gears 322.

The drive unit 31 includes a motor 311, aworm3l2 coupled to and driven rotatably by the motor 311, and a worm gear3l3meshingwiththeworm3l2 andconnectedcoaxially to the sun gear 321. Operation of the motor 311 results in rotation of the worm 312, and therefore rotation of the worm gear 313. This, in turn, results in rotation of the sun gear 321, the planet gears 322, and ultimately the coupling plate 35 and the drive shaft 33 coupled thereto.

The coin-guiding unit 5 includes a resilient coin stop 51 and a spring-loaded guard element 51. The resilient coin stop 51 is mounted on the inner surface of the support wall 215 of the housing 21, extends through the support wall 215 toward the rotary plate 41 of the coin holder 4, and projects resiliently from the outer surface of the support wall 215. In the preferred embodiment, the resilient coin stop 51 projects into the plate receiving recess 216 in the support wall 215 of the housing 21 proximate to the coin exit 212.

Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the resilient coin stop 51 includes a pair of limiting elements 511 in the form of spring-loaded balls held by a base 512.

The limiting elements 511 project at least partially from the outer surface of the support wall 215. The resilient coin stop 51 is disposed to stop the coin 8 in an aligned one of the coin holes 42 such that the coin 8 is moved out of the aligned one of the coin holes 42 via the respective one of the coin passages 43 when the rotary plate 41 is driven by the drive module 3 to rotate on the outer surface of the support wall 215.

The spring-loadedguard element 52 ismountedmovably on the outer surface of the support wall 215 in the coin exit 212. The spring-loaded guard element 52 guides movement of the coin 8 that moved out of one of the coin holes 42 via the respective one of the coin passages 43 through the coin exit 212 when the rotary plate 41 is driven by the drive module 3 to rotate on the outer surface of the support wall 215.

The base plate 6 is mounted to the housing 21 to cover the open bottom end of the housing 21.

Operation of the coin dispenser of the present invention will now be described with additional reference to Figs. 5-8, which illustrate sequential processes involved in dispensing one of the coins 8 from one of the coin holes 42 in the rotary plate 41, and out from the housing 21. It is to be assumed that there is uninterrupted rotation of the rotary plate 41 of the coin holder 4 in the direction indicated by the arrow surrounding the drive shaft 33.

Referring first to Fig. 5, the coin 8 in one of the coin holes 42 first contacts one of the limiting elements 511 of the resilient coin stop 51, i.e., the limiting element 511 closest tothe rotatingshaft 33. Asaresult, the coin 8 is pushed against the portion of the rotary plate 41 forming the corresponding coin passage 43. * 9

Referring to Fig. 6, with the continued rotation of the rotary plate 4, the coin B comes to contact the other of the limiting elements 511 as a result of being squeezed between the portion of the rotary plate 41 forming the coin passage 43 and the limiting element 511 closest to the rotary shaft 33. At this point in the process, the coin 8 contacts the other limiting element 511 of the coin stop 51, the portion of the rotary plate 41 forming the coin passage 43, the spring-loaded guard element 52, and the portion of the support wall 215 of the housing 21 forming the coin exit 212.

Referring to Fig. 7, continued movement of the rotary plate 41 from the state described above results in the coin 8 being pressed against the guard element 52 and moved further into the coin exit 212 as a result of the continued displacement of the portion of the rotary plate 41 forming the coin passage 43. Hence, the coin 8 forces the guard element 52 upwardly (in the drawing) so that the guard element 52 stores a spring force. At the same time, the coin 8 is moved outwardly further still into the coin exit 212 and toward a corresponding periphery of the support wall 215 of the housing 21. Eventually, a center point of the coin 8 passes a point of contact with the guard element 52.

Referring to Fig. 8, the spring force of the guard element 52 subsequently acts on the coin 8 to squeeze and force the coin 8 outwardly from the coin exit 212, thereby completing the coin dispensing operation.

In the coin dispenser of the present invention described above, many advantages follow as a result of the drive module 3 being provided as a single assembly.

For example, the drive module 3 may be easily applied to rotary plate-type coin dispensers of varying configurations. An example of one such application is shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, secure meshing between the worm 312 and the worm gear 313 of the drive unit 31 may be ensured since these elements are indirectly coupled to the frame 34 of the drive module 3, ultimately providing for smooth operation between the drive unit 31 and the speed-reducing unit 32 of the drive module 3. Finally, overall assembly of the coin dispenser is simplified and made less time-consuming.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A coin dispenser, comprising: a housing

including a support wall having outer and inner surfaces; a coin holder disposed rotatably on said outer surface of said support wall, and including a rotary plate formed with a plurality of angularly spaced apart coin holes adapted for respectively receiving coins, said rotary plate having a bottom periphery formed with a plurality of coin passages, each of which is in spatial communication with a respective one of said coin holes and permits removal of the coin in the respective one of said coin holes therethrough; a drive module including a frame mounted in said housing, a drive unit secured to said frame, a speed-reducing unit disposed in said frame and coupled toanddrivenbysaiddriveunit, andadrive shaft coupled to and driven rotatably by said speed-reducing unit, extending through said support wall of said housing, and coupled to said rotary plate of said coin holder for driving said rotary plate of said coin holder to rotate; and a resilient coin stop mounted on said inner surface of said support wall of said housing, extending through said support wall toward said rotary plate of said coin holder, and projecting resiliently from said outer surface of said support wall; said resilient coin stop being disposed to stop the coin in an aligned one of said coin holes such that the coin is moved out of said aligned one of said coin holes via the respective one of said coin passages when said rotary plate is driven by said drive module to rotate on said outer surface of said support wall.

2. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame of said drive module includes a ring part having an inner ring surface formed with ring gear teeth, said speed-reducing unit of said drive module including a sun gear coupled to and driven rotatably by said drive unit, and a plurality of planet gears meshing with said sun gear and said ring gear teeth and being rotatable about said sun gear, said drive shaft being coupled to said planet gears so as to be driven rotatably thereby.

3. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said drive module further includes a gear carrier having said planet gears mounted thereon, and a coupling plate connected to one end of said drive shaft and further connected to said planet gears.

4. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said drive unit includes a motor, a worm coupled to and driven rotatably by said motor, and a worm gear meshing with said worm and connected coaxially to said sun gear.

5. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising screw fasteners for fastening said frame of said drive module to said inner surface of said support wall of said housing.

6. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said outer surface of said support wall of said housing is formed with a plate receiving recess to receive rotatably said rotary plate of said coin holder, and a coin exit in spatial communication with said plate receiving recess to dispense the coins held by said coin holder from said plate receiving recess, said resilient coin stop projecting into said plate receiving recess proximate to said coin exit.

7. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 6, further comprising a spring-loaded guard element mounted movably on said outer surface of said support wall in said coin exit and guiding movement of the coin that moved out of one of said coin holes via the respective one of said coin passages through said coin exit when said rotary plate is driven by said drive module to rotate on said outer surface of said support wall.

8. The coin dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said housing has an open bottom end, said coin dispenser further comprising a base plate mounted to said housing to cover said open bottom end of said housing.

9. A coin dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in Figs. 2 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.