Patents Assigned to Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11941936
    Abstract: An apparatus for discrimination and conveyance of coins achieves downsizing of this apparatus itself with a simple and low-cost structure compared with conventional ones. The apparatus includes a coin separation unit, a coin discrimination unit, and a coin conveyance and distribution unit. Coins separated in the coin separation unit are moved in a first direction through a first delivering region and delivered to the coin discrimination unit. The coins whose denomination and authenticity are discriminated in the coin discrimination unit are moved in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction in a plan view through a second delivering region and delivered to the coin conveyance and distribution unit. In the second delivering region, a conveying direction of the coins is changed from the first direction to the second direction. The coins are distributed while being conveyed in the second direction in the coin conveyance and distribution unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11854332
    Abstract: A coin distribution mechanism for distributing coins into their denominations during conveyance is provided, which makes it possible to distribute two desired denominations of coins using a single gate member. A first gate member movable around a first axis is provided below a coin conveyance path. The first gate member is moved by a first position switching device among a default position where a gate is closed, a first switched position that allows a coin to drop through the gate to move in a first direction, or a second switched position that allows a coin to drop through the gate to move in a second direction. When a coin has a first (or second) denomination, the first gate member is moved to the first (or second) switched position. When a coin does not have the first and second denominations, the first gate member is located at the default position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11773904
    Abstract: A ball bearing has an outer circumferential surface of an inner ring subjected to a surface treatment by laser cladding in a circumferential direction, forming an annular first build-up layer with which a plurality of balls 4 is brought into contact so that the balls are rolled in the circumferential direction (first build-up layer formation step). An inner circumferential surface of an outer ring is subjected to a surface treatment by laser cladding in a circumferential direction, thereby forming an annular second build-up layer with which the plurality of balls contacts so that the balls can be rolled in the circumferential direction (second build-up layer formation step).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: Osaka Fuji Corporation, Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd., University Public Corporation Osaka
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Yuki Kitamura, Keiji Munekane, Yasuyuki Kaneno, Takayuki Takasugi
  • Publication number: 20230227254
    Abstract: In order to increase a stored amount of cards in a card handling apparatus that discharges cards stored in the card cassettes one by one, the card handling apparatus is provided with two card cassettes. A first card cassette and a second card cassette are arranged along a conveying path for the card, and when all cards stored in the first card cassette is discharged, the card is discharged from the second card cassette. The first card cassette has a gate for allowing the card discharged from the second card cassette to enter on a back surface. The card discharged from the second card cassette enters the first card cassette from the gate, passing the inside and being discharged from a discharge port of the first card cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takahito YAMAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20230147666
    Abstract: To provide a coin handling apparatus not requiring a wide work area with easy maintenance. In view of the above, a first door is arranged on a surface on one side of a coin handling apparatus and a second door is arranged in the first door. The first door forms dispensing paths for coins discharged from coin hoppers housed in the coin handling apparatus with the second door, and is a partition plate separating a space for housing the coin hoppers from the dispensing paths for coins. In the coin handling apparatus, maintenance of the dispensing paths can be performed by opening the second door, and maintenance of the coin hoppers can be performed by opening the first door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD
    Inventor: Masayoshi UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20230141040
    Abstract: A coin hopper includes a container, a base, a rotating body having separation holes for holding the coin and being disposed so as to face the base, and a control pin that is disposed in a conveyance path for the coin held by the rotating body, that comes into contact with the coin being conveyed, and that changes a moving direction of the coin. The rotating body includes a first resin rotating body, a metal rotating body, and a second resin rotating body. The metal rotating body is sandwiched between the first resin rotating body and the second resin rotating body. The first resin rotating body, the metal rotating body, and the second resin rotating body are fixed to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi ABE, Kazuya TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20230096019
    Abstract: The present invention provides an article storage container and an article feeder by which an article stored in the article storage container cannot be taken out easily and by which the article in the article storage container cannot be taken out easily when the article storage container is attached to and detached from the article feeder. The article storage container includes a lock mechanism in a shutter, and includes an opening/closing restriction mechanism configured to control the opening and closing of the shutter according to whether the article storage container is attached to or detached from the article feeder. The article storage container can be mounted on the article feeder only when the shutter is closed, and the shutter can be opened only after the article storage container is mounted on the article feeder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takahito YAMAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20230074919
    Abstract: A coin conveyance device that feeds multiple coins stored in a storage container one by one and conveys the fed coin upward uses rotating bodies including pushing bodies for pushing a coin. The pushing bodies which are arranged opposed to each other about the center of rotation of each rotating body each include: a metallic pin that comes into contact with a coin; and a resin-made support protrusion that supports the pin. The support protrusion includes a concave portion corresponding to the shape of the circumferential surface of the pin. The pin is inserted into a pin hole adjacent to the support protrusion, and its side surface is supported by the concave portion of the support protrusion. A force applied when the pin pushes the coin is received by the support protrusion, whereby the durability of the pushing body is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Minoru ENOMOTO
  • Patent number: 11574516
    Abstract: A method for setting discrimination criterion information pieces for one or more additional denominations in a coin discrimination apparatus is provided, which eliminates the task of visiting the installation location of an existing coin discrimination apparatus to exchange this apparatus for a new one including discrimination criterion information pieces for one or more additional denominations and the task of setting discrimination criterion information pieces for the one or more additional denominations manually in the apparatus. A target denomination is designated from current denominations whose discrimination criterion information pieces are stored in a coin discrimination apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sano, Hiroshi Banno, Hiroshi Ohtomo
  • Patent number: 11527123
    Abstract: Provided is a coin delivery device including a disc including a concave portion that holds a plurality of coins in a storage container one by one. A first concave portion that holds at least coins having a diameter equal to or larger than a first diameter, and a second concave portion that holds coins having a diameter less than a second diameter are provided in the disc. The first concave portion does not perform holding of coins having a small diameter or delivery of the coins to the next step, and the second concave portion performs holding of coins having a small diameter or delivery of the coins to the next step. Since the first concave portion does not hold two coins, and two coins are not put into the second concave portion, coins can be appropriately sent out one by one to the next step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda
  • Publication number: 20220284754
    Abstract: A coin entering from a depositing port of a coin selector is identified by a denomination while passing through a coin passage. A coin of a predetermined denomination is stored, and a coin of a denomination other than the predetermined denomination is discharged to the outside. Provided is a coin selector including a removal mechanism that suitably removes a coin clogged in a coin passage. The coin selector includes a first pushing portion and a second pushing portion that push a coin in a moving direction of the coin and a direction intersecting with the moving direction in the coin passage from a depositing port for depositing the coin to a dispensing port for discharging the coin. When the coin is clogged, the coin is pushed by a pushing unit to eliminate the coin clogging, and the clogged coin is discharged to the dispensing port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD
    Inventor: Takahito YAMAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20220213929
    Abstract: A ball bearing has an outer circumferential surface of an inner ring subjected to a surface treatment by laser cladding in a circumferential direction, forming an annular first build-up layer with which a plurality of balls 4 is brought into contact so that the balls are rolled in the circumferential direction (first build-up layer formation step). An inner circumferential surface of an outer ring is subjected to a surface treatment by laser cladding in a circumferential direction, thereby forming an annular second build-up layer with which the plurality of balls contacts so that the balls can be rolled in the circumferential direction (second build-up layer formation step).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicants: OSAKA FUJI Corporation, ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD., University Public Corporation Osaka
    Inventors: Yoshihiro TATSUMI, Yuki KITAMURA, Keiji MUNEKANE, Yasuyuki KANENO, Takayuki TAKASUGI
  • Patent number: 11380154
    Abstract: A coin ejection apparatus makes it possible to surely prevent incorrect dispensing due to incorrect normal rotation of a rotary disk or disks in one or more coin ejection units in a non-driving state while permitting normal and reverse rotations of the disk in a driving state. An unnecessary rotation prevention mechanism has a prevention member that prevents unnecessary rotation of the disk in the non-driving state. Engagement/disengagement of the prevention member with a coupling gear is switched responsive to shift between the driving state and the non-driving state. When the relevant coin ejection unit is in the driving state, the prevention member and the coupling gear are disengaged, permitting normal and reverse rotations of the disk. When the relevant coin ejection unit is in the non-driving state, the prevention member and the coupling gear are engaged, preventing incorrect normal rotation of the disk to result in incorrect dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahito Yamamiya
  • Patent number: 11380155
    Abstract: A multi-unit coin ejection apparatus that drives selectively coin ejection units using a single motor is provided, which eliminates a selectively coin-emitting mechanism such as a shutter provided in each coin ejection unit. Coin ejection units are selectively driven by switching a destination of a driving force of a first motor using a switching unit. The switching unit has first coupling gears respectively provided for the coin ejection units, second coupling gears engageable with the corresponding first coupling gears, and a coupling gear displacement mechanism configured to displace the second coupling gears between a connection position and a non-connection position. The coupling gear displacement mechanism is operated in response to an instruction such that a designated one of the second coupling gears is disposed at the connection position and a remainder of the second coupling gears is/are disposed at the non-connection position in accordance with the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahito Yamamiya
  • Publication number: 20220036682
    Abstract: A holding unit that reciprocally holds a feeding roller and is separated from a base body, and locking position changing means (a first tooth row, a second tooth row, a shaft support portion, a cylindrical shaft, and the like) for changing a locking position of a holding unit with respect to the base body along a track in a direction in which a distance between the feeding roller and the guide roller is changed are provided. In the configuration, a position and an orientation of a guide roller are caused to be constant regardless of a size of a coin, and thus the coin is appropriately guided toward a feeding passage by the guide roller regardless of the size of the coin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomokazu KORENAGA
  • Publication number: 20220036683
    Abstract: Provided are a holding body that holds a guide roller and locking position changing means for changing a locking position of the holding body with respect to a base body along a track in a circumferential direction centered on a rotation axis of a rotary disk, the locking position changing means including a first tooth row and a second tooth row, and the like that mesh with each other. In the configuration, since a feeding roller with which a coin collides is smoothly moved in a forward movement direction regardless of a distance between the feeding roller and a guide roller (regardless of a size of the coin), occurrence of the coin jam due to a movement failure of the feeding roller can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20220005305
    Abstract: Denominational dispensing and storing devices are arranged on three stages, and a plurality of denominational dispensing and storing devices are arranged on each stage. At least a dispensing passage is provided for each stage, the dispensing passages are stacked in an up-down direction, and a bottom plate of the dispensing passage is inclined downward toward a dispensing port side. An upward transport belt arranged and inclined upward toward the dispensing port side is arranged below a lower end of each bottom plate. A coin fed from each of the denominational dispensing and storing devices first falls onto an inclined plate from the dispensing passage, slips down, and then falls on the upward transport belt. The coin that has fallen on the upward transport belt is transported to the dispensing port by the upward transport belt moving toward the dispensing port side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD
    Inventor: Masayoshi UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20210201615
    Abstract: A coin distribution mechanism for distributing coins into their denominations during conveyance is provided, which makes it possible to distribute two desired denominations of coins using a single gate member. A first gate member movable around a first axis is provided below a coin conveyance path. The first gate member is moved by a first position switching device among a default position where a gate is closed, a first switched position that allows a coin to drop through the gate to move in a first direction, or a second switched position that allows a coin to drop through the gate to move in a second direction. When a coin has a first (or second) denomination, the first gate member is moved to the first (or second) switched position. When a coin does not have the first and second denominations, the first gate member is located at the default position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru ENOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210104111
    Abstract: Provided is a coin delivery device including a disc including a concave portion that holds a plurality of coins in a storage container one by one. A first concave portion that holds at least coins having a diameter equal to or larger than a first diameter, and a second concave portion that holds coins having a diameter less than a second diameter are provided in the disc. The first concave portion does not perform holding of coins having a small diameter or delivery of the coins to the next step, and the second concave portion performs holding of coins having a small diameter or delivery of the coins to the next step. Since the first concave portion does not hold two coins, and two coins are not put into the second concave portion, coins can be appropriately sent out one by one to the next step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi UMEDA
  • Patent number: D986193
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Enomoto