Patents Assigned to Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 7234582
    Abstract: A coin guiding channel receives coins dispensed from a coin hopper. A base plate, a first spacer, a second spacer, and a supporting plate have surfaces defining a somewhat rectangular coin guiding channel along a longitudinal axis of the base plate. The supporting plate has a first protruding section extending toward the coin guiding channel and extending along the longitudinal axis of the base plate for providing increased strength and resistance to physical distortion of the coin guiding channel. A portion of the coin guiding channel is oriented vertically and guides the received coins to a position above the coin hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 7201649
    Abstract: A coin dispensing device is provided that prevents a returning of a first coin to prevent a clink noise. The coin dispensing device has a rotating disk that dispenses coins to a guiding unit one by one. The dispensed coins are guided upwards by the guiding unit in a line. A coin return preventing unit prevents the first coin going backward which is located adjacent to the rotating disk. The first coin dispensed by the rotating disk is prevented from moving backwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Abe
  • Patent number: 7191933
    Abstract: A compact fare paying device has a housing for receiving a monetary member and at least one verifier unit in the housing for determining the authenticity of the monetary member. A storage device such as a safe can receive the monetary member or a return device can return it to the user. A control unit can compute the monetary value of the monetary member and compare the monetary value to a stored required fare value. If the monetary value is greater than the fare value, the monetary member can then be translated to the return device. If the monetary value is less than the stored fare value, the monetary member is stored for a predetermined time period to enable the user to deposit the required fare. If it is not deposited within the predetermined time period, the temporarily stored monetary value is translated to the return device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Miyaji
  • Patent number: 7186176
    Abstract: The first purpose of this present invention is to provide a coin dispensing safe assembly with a safe system which can prevent coins being stolen. The second purpose of this invention is to provide a coin dispensing safe assembly with a safe system which can prevent coins being stolen, also it is easy and inexpensive. A coin dispensing safe assembly with a safe system includes a coin dispensing safe assembly having a rotating disk with through holes which is located at the bottom of a coin storing bowl with an upper opening and which is rotated by a motor. A safe housing, which is built to enclose said coin dispensing safe assembly and which can be detached from a coin handling apparatus, includes a dispensing slot for dispensing coins and a disabling unit for the coin dispensing safe assembly, when the safe housing is detached from the coin handling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 7175016
    Abstract: A device for accurately adjusting the position of a sensor unit relative to a driving member. The driving member is moved by a coin dispensed by a coin dispenser. The sensor unit is mounted on a movable base plate that is positioned on a fixed base plate attached to the coin dispenser. The relative position of the sensor unit to the driving member is adjusted by a screw unit that can adjust the position of the movable base plate relative to the fixed base plate. A fixing unit secures the movable base plate from moving relative to the fixed base plate once the desired sensor unit position is selected using the screw unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Donald Lee Seagle, Stanley John Kopala
  • Patent number: 7172503
    Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus for automatically directing coins from a coin escalator includes a coin dispensing unit such as a non-metallic roller that is rotatable about a bearing shaft which can be aligned to minimize forces that can shorten the life of a coin dispensing assembly. A guide unit can operatively move the coin dispensing unit at an acute angle to a centerline of a guiding passageway coin exit. A resilient unit can operatively bias the coin dispensing unit to an initial position for contacting coins attempting to exit a coin exit while permitting movement along a guide length with a major biasing force exerted toward the exiting coin to reduce wear on the guide unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 7172116
    Abstract: Dispensing more than one card or card like good is prevented to prevent issuing a duplicate with an automatic dispensing machine of card or card like good having a table which supports the piled up card or card like good. A sucking device is located over the table and pulls the card or card like good. A transporting device transports the card or card like good which is pulled by the sucking device. A moving device drives to change the distance between the table and the sucking device. A duplicate detecting device is located at a card transporting passageway which is located downstream the transporting device. A vibrator imparts a vibration to the card or card like good on the table. A separating device acts when the duplicate detecting device detects the duplicate of the goods. The separating device and the transporting device reverses, and the goods of card like is returned on the table. Afterwards the sucking device is stopped, then the vibrator is vibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahito Yamamiya
  • Patent number: 7147220
    Abstract: A banknote moving system including a banknote storing unit that can be removably positioned within a banknote receiving unit. The banknote storing unit has a storing section and receives a banknote from the banknote receiving unit. The mover unit can move between a standby position and a moved position to move the received banknote into the storing section of the storing unit. The mover driving unit operates the mover unit in a reciprocating manner between the standby position and the moved position. The rotating driving unit selectively operates the mover driving unit by applying a rotating force in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise direction. The standby position detecting unit produces a standby condition signal when the mover is in a standby condition, and the moved position detecting unit produces a moved position condition signal when the mover unit is in a moved position condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7144319
    Abstract: A coin dispensing unit includes rotating disk assembly having a plurality of apertures therein of the size to pass coins stored in a storage bowl. A guide plate below and offset from the rotable disk provides a sliding support surface for coins. A rotable roller unit is positioned at the bottom of the rotable disk adjacent a downstream edge of the aperture for relative rotation with a respective coin sliding on the guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Motoharu Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 7100823
    Abstract: A coin selector is provided with a charging function for smart cards and coins. A coin selector is provided with a smart card charging function comprising of a coin slot which is located at the upper section of a perpendicular base plate and a coin returning slot which is located below the coin slot at the base plate. An upwards slanting surface which faces the upper section of said base plate has a coin entry which is located at the upwards slanting surface. An antenna or sensor for communicating or signaling is located around the coin entry and under the upwards slanting surface. An antenna signal indicator is located on the upwards slanting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Miyaji
  • Patent number: 7084416
    Abstract: A banknote validator includes a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit, a correction parameter operating unit, and a distinguishing unit. The first sensor unit includes a first projecting section and a first receiving section for projecting and receiving a portion of a first light beam reflected off a received banknote generating a first receiving section signal. The second sensor unit has a second projecting section and a second receiving section for projecting a second light beam and receiving a portion of the second light beam reflected off the received banknote generating a second receiving section signal. The correction parameter operating unit receives the first receiving section signal and produces a correction parameter signal for the distance between the banknote and the second sensor unit. The distinguishing unit receives the second receiving section signal and the first correction parameter signal and determines the validity of the received banknote.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daishi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7083088
    Abstract: A support unit supports a plurality of flexible cards arranged in a stack. A pickup unit adjacent to the stack of flexible cards attracts a first card from the stack of cards, bending the flexible card. A transporting unit adjacent to the pickup unit receives and moves the first card attracted by the pickup unit along a card dispensing passageway. A biasing unit having at least one biasing roller with at least one radial projection from the biasing roller urges a portion of the first card towards the card dispensing passageway. A method of dispensing flexible cards includes movement of cards away from the pickup unit after the first card is attracted to prevent inadvertently dispensing more than one card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahito Yamamiya
  • Patent number: 6685552
    Abstract: A coin hopper is provided with a disk for dispensing petals-shaped coins smoothly. Particularly the discharging of coins for 20 Euro cents occurs with a smooth pay out using the disk in rotation, accepting a plurality of coins which are stored in a bulk condition. The disk has an opening for accepting and for releasing these coins one by one. The disk has a primary protrusion (23) which is formed on an underside of this disk (21), near the axis line of rotation and at a trailing side edge of the opening (22). A curved second protrusion (24) is formed near this primary protrusion and formed from the trailing side edge of said opening toward a further trailing position. A large curved third protrusion is formed from near trailing position of this second protrusion along the fringe area of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomokazu Nomura
  • Patent number: 6595343
    Abstract: A coin selector is provided with a decreased size as compared with prior art devices, which is also lighter. The selector, uses synthetic resin molded product componenets. The selector has a base element which has a shape such as a roughly square thick plate being stood up; a rail being arranged on this base element, for standing up and rolling a deposited coin; and a roller with a groove. The roller is freely rotatable arranged above this rail. The roller guides the upper edge of said rolling coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Tanaka, Hiroshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6569006
    Abstract: A horizontal disk-type coin hopper is provided that reduces the propensity for coins to be standing on the rotating disk and improves coin pickup. The hopper prevents coin bridging and the coin interlocking phenomenon in a hopper tank. The coin hopper includes the tank with a pot shape for storing a plurality of coins and the disk (52) which is positioned substantially horizontally at the inner bottom of the tank. The disk rotates freely. A hole is opened in the disk and provides a passage for coins positioned in a horizontal state. The hopper has a mechanism for releasing coins with a stirring body (10) which is on the top surface of the disk and is arranged on the turn center position of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motoharu Kurosawa, Yorio Suzukawa, Takako Sakai
  • Patent number: 6443442
    Abstract: A purpose of this invention is to provide paper money extraction equipment for issuing only one sheet of paper money by surely picking up the top most sheet from a stack in which a plurality of paper money sheets are arranged. The extraction equipment provides a suction box with an opening for adsorbing one sheet of paper money. The paper is moved when the paper money is taken up. A roller device issues the paper money which is taken up on this suction box. The extraction equipment suction box is pivoted at (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Marcus Willis, Andrew Brookman
  • Patent number: 6398637
    Abstract: A device is provided in which the coin size can be simply changed, even if the paid out coin type is changed. The dispensing efficiency of the coins is maintained at a good level, even if the device is operated at high speed. The coin dispensing device includes a tank for storing coins in loose condition and a freely rotatable disk is provided at the bottom in the tank and has an open hole for receiving coins. An adjustment device is arranged on the underside of this disk means for forming the open hole into an adjustment coin size hole. A guide element is arranged on the upper surface of the disk for guiding several coins in the open hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tamotsu Tsuchida
  • Patent number: D505693
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motoharu Kurosawa
  • Patent number: RE37662
    Abstract: A coins receiving and dispensing apparatus suitable for food shops or restaurants allows precise transfer and reception of various coins without error and confirmation of the balance of the coin. When coins received from customers are inserted into this apparatus, the coins are immediately sorted by a sorting mechanism with respect to the denominations of the currency and stored at the respective storage portions. When the coins are paid out as change, the coin feeder operates based on a dispensing command signal produced corresponding to the differences between the sold amount inputted in the register and the received amount from the customers to feed the coins of the wanted denomination in the necessary number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Uchida, Noboru Ichihara
  • Patent number: D523468
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Umeda, Yasuo Irie