Supply Level Detector Patents (Class 453/16)
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Patent number: 8827777Abstract: A method for operating a coin dispensing device, the coin dispensing device having a plurality of coin dispensing modules, wherein at least one coin tube for holding coins of a predetermined nominal value is assigned to each dispensing module, each dispensing module being adapted to dispense a coin held in the coin tube assigned to the dispensing module in a dispensing cycle and in response to a control signal, wherein at least two coin tubes assigned to different dispensing modules contain coins of the same nominal value and in one dispensing cycle, a plurality of coin dispensing modules are being activated.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: National Rejectors, Inc. GmbHInventors: Stig Göpel, Thorsten Schneider
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Publication number: 20130115866Abstract: The invention discloses a coin changing system. The present invention is capable of sensing the coin storing condition of each of the plurality of the accommodating modules arranged in the matrix form of more than 2 rows and 2 columns simultaneously, without limiting the arrangement thereof. Furthermore, the unique design of the guiding component of the present invention is capable of avoiding the coins from getting jammed during the accommodating process thereof. Nevertheless, the present invention requires only one single motor to deal the coins of each of the plurality of the accommodating modules so as to minimize the size of the coin changing system of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the problems presented in the prior art by a relatively simple design.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2012Publication date: May 9, 2013Inventors: Hung-Yi Chang, Dong-Ying Yang
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Patent number: 8251198Abstract: A self-service change redemption machine (10) has an intake area (18) for receiving batches of mixed coinage and conveying the coins to a coin sorter (22) for sorting, counting and directing coins into a plurality of coin chutes (26). From there, the coins are routed to coin receptacles such as bags (60). Multiple bags are provided for certain denominations. To fill multiple bags for a given denomination, repositionable diverter mechanisms (30) are provided between the chutes (26) and pluralities of bags for the respective denominations. The bags are held by bag holders (34) which extend downward from a substantially rigid one-piece chassis (40), which also supports the diverter mechanisms (30). The machine (10) has buttons (80) responsive to inputs from a user to turn on the machine, to process coins that are input through the intake area (18) and to issue the voucher or other form of credit. Instructions for using the machine (10) and other information are displayed on a screen display (15).Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2004Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Talaris Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Zwieg, Thomas P. Adams, Jon R. Stieber, Myron W. Spoehr, Daniel J. Folger, Robert E. Gunst
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Patent number: 8127914Abstract: The change replenishment management system includes a coin roll storage (1), a coin change dispenser (3), and a POS register (5). A control unit (16) of the storage (1) detects the presence and the denomination of a coin roll in a storage section of each drawer (11, 12, 13) in accordance with an output signal generated from a detection system (18), and transmits the result of detection to the coin change dispenser (3). When loose coins obtained by unpacking removed coin rolls, which are removed from the storage (1), are introduced into an inlet (30), a control unit (36 or 50) of the change dispenser (3) or register (5) compares the denomination and the number of the loose coins, which are detected by identification unit (31), with the denomination and the number of the removed coin roll determined on the basis of the detection result transmitted from the storage (1), and judging the correspondence therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2011Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Glory Ltd.Inventors: Ryuichi Tabata, Hiroshi Tone, Yoshiro Oie, Takahiro Washizu, Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Koichi Nishida, Tsutomu Iwata, Kazuyuki Shimizu
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Patent number: 7992699Abstract: A cash recycling machine (10) has an input hopper (19) for feeding batches of mixed coinage to a coin sorter (21) for sorting, counting and directing coins into a plurality of bulk coin storage receptacles (31, 32, 33, 34). From there, the coins are fed into a plurality of smaller dispensing hoppers (46, 47, 48, 49) equipped with sensors (88) for counting the coinage as it is dispensed. A controller (80) is responsive to inputs from a user in a first operating cycle of the machine to cause the dispensing hoppers (46, 47, 48, 49) to dispense an amount of sorted coinage into one of several receptacles including a cash drawer (15) or coin bags (40). A controller (80) is responsive to inputs from a user in a second operating cycle of the machine to receive, sort and count a batch of coins that is loaded into the input hopper (19) and stored in the bulk coin storage receptacles (31, 32, 33, 34).Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2004Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Talaris Inc.Inventors: Thomas P. Adams, Robert E. Gunst, Robert L. Zwieg, Robert F. Fredrick, Joseph P. Hanus, Jon R. Stieber
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Patent number: 7896149Abstract: The change replenishment management system includes a coin roll storage (1), a coin change dispenser (3), and a POS register (5). A control unit (16) of the storage (1) detects the presence and the denomination of a coin roll in a storage section of each drawer (11, 12, 13) in accordance with an output signal generated from a detection system (18), and transmits the result of detection to the coin change dispenser (3). When loose coins obtained by unpacking removed coin rolls, which are removed from the storage (1), are introduced into an inlet (30), a control unit (36 or 50) of the change dispenser (3) or register (5) compares the denomination and the number of the loose coins, which are detected by identification unit (31), with the denomination and the number of the removed coin roll determined on the basis of the detection result transmitted from the storage (1), and judging the correspondence therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Glory Ltd.Inventors: Ryuichi Tabata, Hiroshi Tone, Yoshiro Oie, Takahiro Washizu, Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Koichi Nishida, Tsutomu Iwata, Kazuyuki Shimizu
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Patent number: 7882942Abstract: A coin bar storage of the invention includes: a casing; a coin bar tray that is provided in the casing so as to be drawn out from and stored into the casing, and that has a plurality of set sections in which set coin types are respectively pre-set to assign a coin type to each of the set sections; a set coin type presence confirmation section that is provided in all of the set sections of the coin bar tray, that respectively confirms whether or not coin bars of the set coin types is set, and that outputs a confirmation result; and a management section that manages a present amount of coin bars in the coin bar tray based on the confirmation result from the set coin type presence confirmation section.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2008Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keiji Sakai, Eiko Hibari
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Patent number: 7870942Abstract: A coin-roll storage 1 comprises a storage body 1a and a coin-roll drawer 11 (12, 13) having a plurality of coin-roll storage portions 14 provided therein, each coin-roll storage portion 14 being adapted for storing one coin roll therein. Each coin-roll storage portion 14 of the coin-roll drawer 11 (12, 13) is adapted for storing therein the coin roll of any denomination. A determination unit 16 is adapted for determining the denomination of each coin roll by detecting an outer diameter, an axial length and material of the coin roll.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Glory Ltd.Inventors: Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Hiroshi Tone, Ryuichi Tabata, Koichi Nishida, Kazuyuki Shimizu
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Patent number: 7789212Abstract: A change complement and control system according to the present invention comprises a coin-roll storage 1, a money handling machine 3 and a control unit 5. This system is adapted for calculating the number of coin rolls of each denomination newly stored in each coin-roll drawer 11, 12, 13, in a period of time after a first indication is sent and before a second indication is sent by an operator from user indication portions 50a, 50b of the control unit 5. An instruction portion 52 is adapted for providing an instruction, such that money equivalent to the newly stored coin rolls, among the money stored in a money storage portion (i.e., a coin storage portion 106 or banknote storage portion 206), is released from a money releasing portion (i.e., a coin disbursing slot 116 or banknote disbursing slot 216), when the second indication is sent.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Glory Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiro Oie, Kazuyuki Shimizu, Hiroshi Tone, Takahiro Washizu, Ryuichi Tabata
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Patent number: 7699689Abstract: An electrical discharge produces an acoustic impulse, and a reflection of the impulse from the upper coin in a coin stack is sensed so that the level of the coin stack can be determined from the time taken for the reflection to be received. Alternatively, or additionally, the acoustic impulse can be used to detect coin jams, the presence and/or width of a coin store, the state of a coin routing gate or the quantity of a vendible product.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2000Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: MEI, Inc.Inventors: David Michael Furneaux, Bernard Joseph Campbell
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Patent number: 7591361Abstract: A coin dispensing system comprises a drawer including a bottom wall connected to opposite sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced dividers between the opposite sidewalls defining a plurality of columns for supporting vertical tubes of currency. A plurality of dispensers, one for each column, are provided each for withdrawing tubes of currency from an associated column. A plurality of sensors, one for each column, are provided each for sensing quantity of tubes in the associated column. A control system is operatively associated with the sensors for determining quantity of currency in the drawer.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2003Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Corporate Safe Specialists, Inc.Inventors: Edward J. McGunn, James Ivey, III, Eduardo DeCastro Barcellos, Warren Bittencourt Oliveira
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Patent number: 7481702Abstract: As disclosed herein, a method for determining when a coin storage bin having a bottom and sides is filled to a predetermined percentage of the volume of the coin storage bin comprises: determining a coin volume for a coin entering the coin storage bin, adding the coin volumes for each coin entering the coin storage bin to provide a running total volume of all coins entering the coin storage bin, comparing the running total volume of all coins entering the coin storage bin with the volume of the coin storage bin, and determining when the running total volume of all coins entering the coin storage bin is greater than or equal to the predetermined percentage of the volume of the coin storage bin. The volume for a coin can be determined from information provided by a coin acceptor, where the information is thickness, diameter, weight, or a combination comprising at least one of these.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2006Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kevin H. Bell, Richard J. Kairis, Jr., Susan E. Wince
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Publication number: 20080014848Abstract: A method of operating a coin changer comprising the steps of activating a visual display to show recommended operating levels for a plurality of coin stores and manually positioning level indicators associated with each of the plurality of coin stores to suggested operating levels displayed on the visual display.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: COIN ACCEPTORS, INC.Inventors: Joseph L. Levasseur, Mark Leibu
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Patent number: 7195113Abstract: A method of measuring a characteristic of a container in a coin handling apparatus which involves generating a data set from an acoustic pulse reflected by the container and analyzing the data set. The analysis includes comparing the data set to one or more stored data sets. This is used to determine the height of a coin stack in a coin tube and/or to identify the coin tube.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2003Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Mei, Inc.Inventor: David Furneaux
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Patent number: 7163454Abstract: A system (10) and method for managing coin dispensation and reconciliation. The system (10) broadly comprises a controller logic, preferably in the form of a computer program stored on and executed by a computing device (14); a coin dispensing mechanism (16); and security package (22). The system (10) may be a configured for constructing cash drawers or coin canisters. In either case, the controller logic may receive input relating to past coin usage, analyzes the input to predict future coin usage, and transmits a control signal to the dispensing mechanism (16) to control dispensation of the coins based at least on part on the predicted future coin usage.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2004Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Balance Innovations, LLCInventor: Kenneth Carter
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Patent number: 7147551Abstract: A money changer for automatic coin machines, comprising a casing in which a plurality of serially arranged tubes are mounted to store coins in a column shape, light barriers associated to the tubes at least in the upper and lower regions with each light barrier having a light-emitting element and a light sensitive receiving element which are superposed on the same side of the coin tube whereas the opposite side of the coin tube has arranged thereon a prism which reflects the received light back to the receiving element, and a control circuit for the money changer into which the output signals of the light receiving elements are entered, wherein the casing has a wall portion in parallel with the series of the coin tubes, a printed circuit board for the control circuit is mounted on the opposite side on the wall portion and carries the light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements which are directed towards the respective coin tube via holes in the printed circuit board and in the wall portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2004Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: National Rejectors, Inc. GmbHInventor: Heinz Werner Meyer-Weingaertner
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Patent number: 7070037Abstract: A method and system for determining the monetary value of coins included in a plurality of stacks of coins arranged for dispensing from an automatic coin dispensing machine are provided. The method and system employ a sensor arranged to determine the height of the stack of coins in each of the plurality of stacks of coins and a microprocessor in communication with the ultrasonic sensor. The microprocessor is adapted to determine the monetary value of coins in each of the plurality of stacks of coins.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2003Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Inventor: Glen Navis
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Publication number: 20040226802Abstract: Money changer for coin-operated vending machines with a tube cassette comprising a plurality of coin tubes and which is arranged with a coin validator and a sorting device and comprises a pay out device for paying out coins from the coin tubes, a full- and empty sensor for each coin tube and an electronic control device for the coin validator and the money changer, such that the coin types to be accepted assigned to test channels in the coin validator, the value of the coin types to be accepted and the assignment of the coin tubes to the test channels are stored in a non-volatile memory, the control device further comprising tube counters which count the coins sorted in the coin tubes and paid out from the coin tubes, each coin tube being assigned at least one further filling level sensor between its ends and the reading of the tube counter being corrected according to the filling level determined by the further filling level sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventor: Thorsten Schneider
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Patent number: 6093094Abstract: A coin feed control apparatus includes a hopper (20) having a discharge opening (17) that is disposed above a rotating disc (10) of a coin handling machine. The discharge opening (17) is positioned over a coin receiving region (14) of the disc. A coin feed control member (30) is mounted for pivotal movement to further open or further close the discharge opening (17). The feed control member (30), the discharge opening (17) and the coin receiving region (14) are sized such that the feed control member (30) will tend to move to partially close the discharge opening (17) in response to a build-up of coins in the coin receiving region, and thereby limit the flow of coins through the discharge opening (17), and such that the reduction of coins in the coin receiving region (14) will allow the feed control member (30) to drop and further open the discharge opening (17) to allow a greater flow of coins into the coin receiving region.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: De La Rue Systems Americas CorporationInventors: Richard P. Uecker, Joseph P. Hanus
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Patent number: 5267892Abstract: A token management system for a slot machine has a buffer tank communicating with a token counter and a collection conveyer, and also has a token polisher for continuously raising tokens in the buffer tank to a hopper while polishing the tokens. A main tank receives overflow tokens from the hopper, and supplies the tokens to the buffer tank when the hopper is empty.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1992Date of Patent: December 7, 1993Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ace DenkenInventors: Takatoshi Takemoto, Keizo Kasahara, Meiji Muramatsu