Patents Assigned to Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 9542786
    Abstract: A coin hopper includes a rotating disc having recesses that receive and hold coins one by one; a moving body that is disposed at a position corresponding to the recess and moves reciprocally between a holding position and a push-out position; a cam groove including a first route having a substantially circular shape and a second route connected to the first route at first and second branch points and protruding toward the outer periphery of the rotating disc with respect to the first route; and a cam follower disposed in the cam groove provided on a back side of the moving body. The moving body is held at the holding position when the cam follower moves along the first route and moves reciprocally between the holding position and the push-out position when the cam follower moves along the second route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20160343213
    Abstract: A system for dispensing cards is provided comprising a card cassette configured to store a stack of cards and a card dispenser configured to dispense cards from the card cassette. The card cassette comprises a shutter configured to move from a closed position to an open position so as to enable the dispenser to receive a card from the stack. The card cassette also comprises a cassette controller configured to enable movement of the shutter. During an initialisation process, the cassette controller is configured to analyse an authentication signal output by the dispenser and enable movement of said shutter based on said analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Alex MASSEY, Marcus John WILLIS
  • Publication number: 20160272406
    Abstract: A card cassette device ensures elimination of measures for illegally opening a card outlet from the outside in a non-mounted state and makes it possible to open the card outlet according to the necessity in a mounted state, raising security level. A movable shutter for opening and closing a card outlet has a stopper member engaging hole and a lock member engaging hole. A stopper member is engaged with the stopper member engaging hole by a stopper member moving device, thereby fixing the shutter in its closed state in the non-mounted state. A lock member is engaged with the lock member engaging hole by a lock member moving device, thereby canceling the closed state of the shutter and locking the shutter in its open state in the mounted state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Alex MASSEY, Marcus John WILLIS
  • Patent number: 9105140
    Abstract: Coins in a storing chamber are stirred and dropped into through holes by the rotation of a sorting board, become a surface contact state on a coin holding plate, and are held in coin holding space. The coin in the coin holding space is rotated together with the rotation of the sorting board. At a specified phase, the coin is pushed out to a circumferential-direction passage, which is continued to the coin holding space and extending in the circumferential direction of the sorting board, by a pusher, which moves to the coin holding space. The coin is pushed against a coin receiver, which is arranged to be adjacent to the sorting board, by a pusher constituting an end part of the circumferential-direction passage. In this state, pushing is switched to that by a rotating pushing piece, and the coin is finally fed out by the pushing piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Patent number: 9064361
    Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus prevents excessive dispensing of coins without abruptly stopping a rotary disk. A movable guide member is provided in a carrying path of coins to be selectively located at a guiding position where the coins are guided toward a dispensing opening or a non-guiding position where the coins are not guided toward the dispensing opening. A movable stopper is provided in a dispensing passage communicating with the carrying path to be selectively located at a blocking position where the coins are blocked or a non-blocking position where the coins are not blocked to pass through the dispensing passage. During a dispensing operation, the guide member is located at the guiding position and the stopper is located at the non-blocking position. During a non-dispensing operation, the guide member is located at the non-guiding position and the stopper is located at the blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 9064362
    Abstract: A disk sorting device includes a housing defining a disk transport path for conveying disks from a disk transferring device. A disk identifying device is located adjacent the disk transport path for identifying the type of disk passing along the transport path. A disk diverting mechanism in the disk transport path downstream of the disk identifying device is operable to divert disks in accordance with the type of the disk determined by the disk identifying device into a selected one of at least a return path in which a disk returns to the disk transferring device and a dispense path in which a disk is directed towards a dispense outlet. The disk transport path is oriented with a vertical component whereby disks pass along the path and the diverting mechanism under gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Marcus John Willis
  • Publication number: 20140313319
    Abstract: Disk image acquiring device includes a guide for guiding a peripheral surface of a disk moving in a predetermined direction along a predetermined guide line, an imaging window defining an image-taking region on the one surface of the disk, a timing sensor to take images having a detection axis traversing a moving direction of the disk and outputting a timing signal as arrival of the disk at a predetermined position on the imaging window when the peripheral surface of the disk has been detected on the detection axis, and an imager which takes an image of the one surface of the disk via the imaging window based upon the timing signal, wherein a bisector of an angle between the guide line and the detection axis is utilized as a base line, and the imaging window is extended along the base line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daishi SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140170948
    Abstract: Coins in a storing chamber are stirred and dropped into through holes by the rotation of a sorting board, become a surface contact state on a coin holding plate, and are held in coin holding space. The coin in the coin holding space is rotated together with the rotation of the sorting board. At a specified phase, the coin is pushed out to a circumferential-direction passage, which is continued to the coin holding space and extending in the circumferential direction of the sorting board, by a pusher, which moves to the coin holding space. The coin is pushed against a coin receiver, which is arranged to be adjacent to the sorting board, by a pusher constituting an end part of the circumferential-direction passage. In this state, pushing is switched to that by a rotating pushing piece, and the coin is finally fed out by the pushing piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru ENOMOTO
  • Patent number: 8322506
    Abstract: An end of a detection body provided contactable with an upper side peripheral surface of a coin rolling on a coin path hooks into reeding of the coin, and thus the detection body is moved to a moving direction. The movement of the detection body moves a receiving portion in the same direction, and rotates in a predetermined direction an axis support integrally provided with the receiving portion. The rotation of the axis receiver retracts from the coin path a sorting body projecting to the coin path. A release body proceeds to the coin path. The retraction of the sorting body from the coin path allows the coin to further roll on the coin path, press the release body, rotate the axis support reversely, and return the detection body and the sorting body to a standby position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Takahito Yamamiya
  • Publication number: 20120145741
    Abstract: A disk transferring device transferring disks delivered one by one from an disk reception opening to an disk ejection opening includes: a disk guide path having left and right guide surfaces that guide a peripheral surface of each of the disks and front and back guide surfaces that guide an front surface and a back surface of the disk, the disk guide path extending from the disk reception opening toward the disk ejection opening; and a plurality of disk pushers protruding into the disk guide path and pushing the disks by making a rotational movement about a plurality of rotational axis lines approximately at a right angle with respect to the front and back guide surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru ENOMOTO
  • Patent number: 8118150
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a management system for a game arcade which does not decrease authenticity of money information, and is manageable without changing setting even if the number of a game machine is increased. A transmitting side includes money identification units, a slave processing unit connected to each money identification unit, and a slave wireless communication unit connected to each slave processing unit. A receiving side includes a master processing unit, and a master wireless communication unit connected to the master processing unit and communicating with the slave wireless communication unit. The system establishes a communication channel between the master wireless communication unit and the slave wireless communication unit, and the slave processing unit transmits the money information and the check information to the slave wireless communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Masaru Miyaji
  • Publication number: 20110195649
    Abstract: An end of a detection body provided contactable with an upper side peripheral surface of a coin rolling on a coin path hooks into reeding of the coin, and thus the detection body is moved to a moving direction. The movement of the detection body moves a receiving portion in the same direction, and rotates in a predetermined direction an axis support integrally provided with the receiving portion. The rotation of the axis receiver retracts from the coin path a sorting body projecting to the coin path. A release body proceeds to the coin path. The retraction of the sorting body from the coin path allows the coin to further roll on the coin path, press the release body, rotate the axis support reversely, and return the detection body and the sorting body to a standby position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi ABE, Takahito YAMAMIYA
  • Patent number: 7946407
    Abstract: A value medium processing apparatus includes a common rolling path on which the IC coin and the coin roll, a coin characteristic detector provided on a side portion of the common rolling path, an IC coin characteristic detector configured to detect IC coin rolling on the common rolling path; an inlet to a coin path on which the coin rolls and an inlet to an IC coin path on which the IC coin rolls, a medium sorter provided upstream of the coin inlet and the IC coin inlet; a communicator provided on a side of the IC coin path and communicating with the IC coin; and a controller actuating the medium sorter based on one of characteristic information from the coin characteristic detector and information from the IC coin characteristic detector, and switching the common rolling path to one of the IC coin path and the coin path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Yoshinobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7798304
    Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus is provided which can detect a dispensed coin without lowering a dispensation speed of coins, even dispensed small-diameter coins without lowering a dispensation speed without damaging a coin detecting device. The coin dispensing apparatus has a throwing-out device and a noncontact type detecting device. A rebound member is provided against which the coin thrown out by the throwing-out device strikes, to rebound in a predetermined direction. The noncontact type coin detecting device continuously detects a coin before the coin strikes against the rebound member and after the coin rebounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7682230
    Abstract: A coin hopper includes a rotating disk provided obliquely upward at a predetermined angle; an outer covering unit covering at least a lower outer circumference of the rotating disk; a holding bowl continuing from the outer covering unit and holding coins; a circular supporting rack provided in a central region of an upper surface of the rotating disk; and coin stoppers being provided on the upper surface of the rotating disk and extending radially from the supporting rack in a circumferential direction to a periphery of the rotating disk at an equal interval. Coins are accepted one by one while a surface thereof is contacted with a holding surface of the upper surface of the rotating disk between the coin stoppers, are moved in one direction while a periphery thereof is held by the supporting rack, and are received from the coin stoppers during transportation by a coin receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko, Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Patent number: 7628685
    Abstract: A coin hopper is provided that can dispense coins of different diameters without any trouble. A rotating disk has coin stoppers that are upwardly inclined at a specified angle, and a circular supporting rack at the center of the upper surface thereof. The stoppers expand radially at regular intervals, from the supporting rack side to the circumferential direction. The rotating disk makes the coins contact a holding surface between the coin stoppers and receives the coins one by one, and supports them by the supporting rack and feeds them out. An outer covering unit covers at least the lower outer circumference of the rotating disk. A storing bowl stores coins in bulk following the outer covering unit. A coin receiving unit expands from the vicinity of the supporting rack to the circumferential direction of the rotating disk, wherein the coin stoppers are arranged in a state fixed to the rotating disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20090205927
    Abstract: A value medium processing apparatus includes a common rolling path on which the IC coin and the coin roll, a coin characteristic detector provided on a side portion of the common rolling path, an IC coin characteristic detector configured to detect IC coin rolling on the common rolling path; an inlet to a coin path on which the coin rolls and an inlet to an IC coin path on which the IC coin rolls, a medium sorter provided upstream of the coin inlet and the IC coin inlet; a communicator provided on a side of the IC coin path and communicating with the IC coin; and a controller actuating the medium sorter based on one of characteristic information from the coin characteristic detector and information from the IC coin characteristic detector, and switching the common rolling path to one of the IC coin path and the coin path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Asahi Seiko Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Yoshinobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7549526
    Abstract: A coin identifying sensor and a coin identifying apparatus has coin detecting sections (25X and 25Z) that are formed by relatively disposing a group of coin identifying sensors (21A, 21B, 21C and 21D) with each group provided with three aligned and integrated coin sensors. Each, of the sensors has a core wound with a coil. The sensors are disposed in a coin path in a direction crossing a movement direction of a coin. The first and second coin detecting sections are sequentially disposed on a coin path (4) to determine whether a coin is real or not using detection data of diameter, material and thickness of the coin based upon detection outputs sequentially obtained from the coin detecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohtomo
  • Publication number: 20080299886
    Abstract: A coin hopper includes a rotating disk provided obliquely upward at a predetermined angle; an outer covering unit covering at least a lower outer circumference of the rotating disk; a holding bowl continuing from the outer covering unit and holding coins; a circular supporting rack provided in a central region of an upper surface of the rotating disk; and coin stoppers being provided on the upper surface of the rotating disk and extending radially from the supporting rack in a circumferential direction to a periphery of the rotating disk at an equal interval. Coins are accepted one by one while a surface thereof is contacted with a holding surface of the upper surface of the rotating disk between the coin stoppers, are moved in one direction while a periphery thereof is held by the supporting rack, and are received from the coin stoppers during transportation by a coin receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: Asahi Seiko, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Patent number: D724813
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda