Disk-type coin processing unit with angled sorting head

• US 9,092,924 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, James M., Krbec, Marianne, Blake, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/789,842
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 453/3, 453/4, 453/12, 453/49, 453/57, 194/342, 194/350, 209/1, 209/2, 209/509, 209/552, 209/617, 209/621, 209/654, 209/666, 209/667
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/00 Sorting a mixed bulk of coins into denominations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/06 arranged along a circular path
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/128 Rotary devices
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk

Abstract

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of sorting batches of coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins, and one or more coin receptacles stowed inside the housing. A disk-type coin processing unit is operatively coupled to the coin input area and the coin receptacle(s). The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins received from the coin input area, and a sorting head having a lower surface generally parallel to and at least partially spaced from the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms a plurality of shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to a plurality of exit stations through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacle(s). The sorting head and the rotatable disk are obliquely angled with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

Claims

1. A currency processing system comprising:

a housing configured to rest on a support surface, the housing including a coin input area configured to receive a plurality of coins;

one or more coin receptacles; and

a disk-type coin processing unit operatively coupled to the coin input area and the one or more coin receptacles, the coin processing unit including;

a singular rotatable disk configured to support thereon coins received from the coin input area of the housing and impart motion to the coins, and

a singular sorting head having a central opening, through which the coins are received from the coin input area, and a lower surface, which is generally parallel to and at least partially spaced from the rotatable disk, the lower surface forming a plurality of shaped regions configured to guide the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to a plurality of exit stations through which the coins are discharged to the one or more coin receptacles,

wherein the sorting head and the rotatable disk, including the central opening for receiving coins, are obliquely angled with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

2. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the sorting head, which guides the coins to the exit stations, and an upper surface of the rotatable disk, which supports thereon the coins received from the coin input area of the housing, are obliquely angled with respect to the support surface.

3. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising an angled hopper configured to receive the coins directly from the coin input area of the housing and feed the coins directly into the singular rotatable disk and the singular sorting head.

4. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the sorting head and the rotatable disk are obliquely angled at least approximately 20 degrees with respect to the support surface.

5. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the sorting head is obliquely angled at least approximately 10 degrees, but less than approximately 45 degrees, with respect to the support surface.

6. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coin receptacles includes a plurality of coin receptacles, the currency processing system further comprising a coin manifold with a plurality of chutes, each of the chutes being configured to receive coins from a respective one of the exit stations and direct coins, under the force of gravity, into a respective one of the coin receptacles.

7. The currency processing system of claim 6, wherein two or more of the chutes have different respective inlet heights.

8. The currency processing system of claim 6, wherein two or more of the chutes have different respective throw angles with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

9. The currency processing system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of chutes each has a respective throw angle of at least approximately 20 degrees with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

10. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a hopper operatively coupled to the coin input area of the housing, and a mechanical guide configured to reduce pooling of the coins in the hopper.

11. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the footprint of the currency processing system is approximately 450 to 550 square inches.

12. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the footprint of the currency processing system is approximately 500 square inches.

13. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coin receptacles includes a plurality of coin receptacles, the plurality of coin receptacles being stowed inside the housing in a generally linear fashion.

14. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coin receptacles includes a plurality of coin bags, each of the coin bags being individually removable from the housing.

15. The currency processing system of claim 14, wherein a bag inlet height of at least one of the coin bags is at least approximately 30 inches.

16. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable disk includes an upper surface adjacent the lower surface of the sorting head, the upper surface having a compressible pad configured to press coins upwardly against the lower surface of the sorting head as the rotatable disk rotates.

17. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a coin tray mounted to the housing, the coin tray being configured to receive a batch of coins and feed the batch of coins into the housing through the coin input area.

18. The currency processing system of claim 17, wherein a height of the coin hopper is approximately 36 to 42 inches.

19. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein each of the shaped regions is an individually shaped exit channel, each of the exit channels being configured to guide respective ones of the coins with a respective common diameter.

20. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coin receptacles consists generally of a single linear row of coin receptacles removably stored inside the housing, the housing including a door through which the coin receptacles are accessible and individually removable from the housing, and wherein the coin receptacles are aligned immediately adjacent one another and generally parallel to and adjacent the door of the housing.

21. The currency processing system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of coin chutes connected to the disk-type coin processing unit and each configured to receive coins from a respective one of the exit stations and direct coins, under the force of gravity, into a respective one of the coin receptacles, wherein each of the coin chutes has a distinct length and a distinct inlet height.

22. The currency processing system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the exit stations is a top-most exit station located at the top of the singular sorting head, at least one of the coin chutes extending to the top-most exit station.

23. The currency processing system of claim 20, wherein the row of coin receptacles includes coin bags, each of the coin bags being removably mounted inside the housing at a distinct height.

24. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising an angled support plate rigidly mounting the disk-type coin processing unit inside the housing.

25. A coin processing machine comprising:

a housing configured to rest on a support surface, the housing including a coin input area configured to receive therethrough a batch of coins;

a plurality of coin receptacles stowed inside the housing, each of the coin receptacles being individually removable from the housing; and

a disk-type coin processing unit disposed at least partially inside the housing and operatively coupled to the coin input area and the plurality of coin receptacles, the coin processing unit including;

one and only one rotatable disk configured to receive coins from the coin input area of the housing, support the coins on an upper surface thereof, and impart motion to the coins received from the coin input area, and

one and only one stationary sorting head having a diametrically central opening, through which the coins are received by the coin processing unit from the coin input area of the housing, and a lower surface, which is generally parallel to and spaced slightly apart from the rotatable disk, the lower surface forming a plurality of exit channels configured to guide the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to a plurality of exit stations through which the coins are discharged from the coin processing unit to the plurality of coin receptacles,

wherein the upper surface of the rotatable disk and the lower surface and central opening of the stationary sorting head are obliquely angled with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

26. The coin processing machine of claim 25, further comprising a coin hopper configured to receive the coins directly from the coin input area of the housing and feed the coins directly into the rotatable disk and sorting head.

27. The coin processing machine of claim 26, wherein the upper surface of the rotatable disk and the lower surface of the sorting head are obliquely angled at least approximately 15 degrees with respect to the support surface.

28. The coin processing machine of claim 26, wherein the upper surface of the rotatable disk and the lower surface of the sorting head are obliquely angled at least approximately 10 degrees, but less than approximately 45 degrees, with respect to the support surface.

29. The coin processing machine of claim 26, further comprising a coin manifold with a plurality of chutes, each of the chutes being configured to receive coins from a respective one of the exit stations and direct coins, under the force of gravity, into a respective one of the coin receptacles.

30. The coin processing machine of claim 29, wherein each of the chutes has a respective coin inlet through which coins are received from the respective exit station, two or more of the coin inlets of the chutes having different respective inlet heights.

31. The coin processing machine of claim 29, wherein each of the chutes has a respective elongated tubular body, two or more of the tubular bodies having different respective throw angles with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

32. The coin processing machine of claim 29, wherein the plurality of chutes each has a respective throw angle of at least approximately 20 degrees with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.

33. The coin processing machine of claim 26, wherein the plurality of coin receptacles are stowed side-by-side inside the housing in a generally linear fashion.

34. The coin processing machine of claim 26, wherein the plurality of coin receptacles includes a plurality of coin bags, each of the coin bags being individually removable from the housing.

35. A coin processing machine for sorting batches of coins which include coins of mixed diameters, the coin processing machine comprising:

a housing configured to rest on a planar horizontally oriented support surface, the housing including a coin input area configured to receive coins therethrough, the housing further including a door through which is accessible the inside of the housing;

a coin tray mounted to the housing, the coin tray being configured to receive a batch of coins from a user and feed the batch of coins into the housing through the coin input area;

a row of coin bags removably mounted side-by-side inside the housing in a generally linear fashion generally parallel to the door of the housing, each of the coin bags being individually removable from the housing;

a coin manifold with a plurality of chutes, each of the chutes being configured to direct coins, under the force of gravity, into a respective one of the coin bags;

a hopper configured to receive the batch of coins directly from the coin tray through the coin input area of the housing;

one and only one rotatable disk having a resilient top surface for supporting thereon coins received from the hopper, the rotatable disk being configured to impart motion to the coins on the resilient top surface;

a motor configured to selectively rotate the rotatable disk; and

one and only one stationary sorting head having a diametrically central opening, through which coins are received directly from the hopper, and a lower surface, which is substantially parallel to and spaced slightly from the resilient top surface of the rotatable disk, the lower surface forming a plurality of individually shaped exit channels, each of the exit channels being configured to guide respective ones of the coins with a respective common diameter, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to a respective one of a plurality of exit stations through which the coins are discharged to a respective one of the coin bags via a respective one of the chutes,

wherein the resilient top surface of the rotatable disk and the lower surface and central opening of the stationary sorting head are obliquely angled at least approximately 10 degrees with respect to the support surface upon which the housing rests.