Having Magnetic Field Acting On Check Patents (Class 194/320)
  • Patent number: 10775470
    Abstract: One object is to correct with a high accuracy a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged inside a small magnetic detection apparatus. The magnetic detection apparatus that detects magnetism of a paper sheet being transported includes a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in a linear manner in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the paper sheet; an excitation member having a plate-shape that extends in an arrangement direction of the plurality of magnetic sensors; and a control unit that generates a calibration magnetic field by passing an electric current in the arrangement direction through the excitation member, and obtains a correction value for correcting variation in sensitivity of the plurality of magnetic sensors based on detection results of the calibration magnetic field detected by the plurality of magnetic sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Ueyama, Masaaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9153087
    Abstract: A coin processing device includes: a conveying unit that conveys a coin in a conveyance direction; first and second material sensors detect material of the conveyed coin to obtain material detection data; first and second position sensors detect a position of the conveyed coin to obtain position detection data; a correcting unit that corrects the material detection data based on the position detection data to obtain corrected material detection data; and an identifying unit that identifies the conveyed coin based on the corrected material detection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: LAUREL PRECISION MACHINES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Yamamoto, Takaaki Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8899401
    Abstract: Systems and associated methods for coin discrimination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for discriminating coins includes obtaining an electromagnetic sensor signal of a coin, generating a contour signal by digitizing the sensor signal, identifying an active interval in the contour signal by eliminating the segments of the contour signal which are close to zero, and detecting the coin approach, pivot and departure points (coin features) from the contour signal in the active interval. The coin features can be compared to known values for different coins to discriminate the coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel D. Everhart
  • Publication number: 20140116840
    Abstract: A bill validator of an automated teller machine includes a magnetic detector for detecting magnetism of bills. The magnetic detector has pressing members of resin material having bearings bored therein. The bearings rotatably hold a shaft for a guide roller which presses bills against the lower surface of a magnetic sensor. The guide roller rotates as bills run on a conveyance path. However, since the bearings consist of fixed parts of resin material and the shaft is formed of non-magnetic material, the rotation does not cause changes in a magnetic field. Thus, when the guide roller rotates, the surrounding magnetic field does not change, so that, although the magnetic detector locates in the vicinity of the guide roller, the magnetic head of the magnetic sensor can well accurately sense the magnetism of bills.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kinya Maekawa, Hiroaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8668069
    Abstract: Systems and associated methods for coin discrimination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for discriminating coins includes obtaining an electromagnetic sensor signal of a coin, generating a contour signal by digitizing the sensor signal, identifying an active interval in the contour signal by eliminating the segments of the contour signal which are close to zero, and detecting the coin approach, pivot and departure points (coin features) from the contour signal in the active interval. The coin features can be compared to known values for different coins to discriminate the coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel D. Everhart
  • Patent number: 8622190
    Abstract: A coin tester includes a coin sensor which outputs a measurement signal which is influenced by the presence of a coin. A memory device stores an impedence model of the coin sensor and the model representing an expected influence of a coin configuration model on the measurement signal. A processor computes and applies acceptance criteria to determine whether the coin falls within a predetermined coin configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lavanchy, Gaston Baudat
  • Publication number: 20130341154
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to modeling the structure of an item of currency and to predicting the behavior of a currency sensing system as related to the structure of a tested item of currency. For a specified set of parameters of an item of currency, the response of the currency sensing system can be predicted. A particular construction of an item of currency can be determined based on theoretical responses from the item of currency being tested with a theoretical currency sensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: MEI, INC.
    Inventor: Gaston Baudat
  • Patent number: 8561777
    Abstract: A coin sensor performs time-domain eddy-current testing using an inductance in one arm of a Maxwell bridge which is driven by a bipolar square wave having randomly-selected intervals between transitions, the output of the bridge being sampled at a high frequency. A processor stores a model which receives the drive signal and adjusts coefficients of the model so that the output matches the sampled measurements. Acceptance criteria are applied to the adjusted coefficients for coin classification purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventors: Gaston Baudat, David Michael Furneaux
  • Patent number: 8550227
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically positioning a coin sensor are disclosed herein. An auto-positioning coin sensor configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a coin sensor for determining a physical characteristic of an object and a moving device operably coupled to the coin sensor. The moving device can be configured to adjust the position of the coin sensor to determine the physical characteristic. Auto-positioning coin sensors in accordance with the present technology can include coin sensors that can be positioned based on a measurement of a dimension of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas A. Martin
  • Patent number: 8127914
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Tabata, Hiroshi Tone, Yoshiro Oie, Takahiro Washizu, Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Koichi Nishida, Tsutomu Iwata, Kazuyuki Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20110233028
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to modeling the structure of an item of currency and to predicting the behavior of a currency sensing system as related to the structure of a tested item of currency. For a specified set of parameters of an item of currency, the response of the currency sensing system can be predicted. A particular construction of an item of currency can be determined based on theoretical responses from the item of currency being tested with a theoretical currency sensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: MEI, INC.
    Inventor: Gaston Baudat
  • Publication number: 20110209967
    Abstract: In a coin recognition apparatus, when an oscillator control unit applies a synthesized signal containing signals of a plurality of designated frequencies to an oscillator coil, an AD (Analog-to-Digital) converting unit converts an output signal from a receiving coil into a digital signal. A frequency expansion unit expands the digital signal on a frequency axis. A coin recognition unit recognizes a coin based on an amplitude of each signal of the designated frequency extracted from the expanded signal. Furthermore, if the coin recognition apparatus detects a coin center, which is a substantially central line on a surface of the coin, has reached a magnetic sensor based on the output signal from the receiving coil when a single frequency signal is applied to the oscillator coil, the synthesized signal is applied to the oscillator coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Kazuo Toji
  • Patent number: 7896149
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Tabata, Hiroshi Tone, Yoshiro Oie, Takahiro Washizu, Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Koichi Nishida, Tsutomu Iwata, Kazuyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7882942
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Sakai, Eiko Hibari
  • Patent number: 7870942
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikito Imai, Yumiko Imai, legal representative, Hiroshi Tone, Ryuichi Tabata, Koichi Nishida, Kazuyuki Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20090183967
    Abstract: A paper sheet recognition apparatus includes a sensor that measures feature amounts of a paper sheet; a recognition unit that recognizes whether the paper sheet is genuine or counterfeit, and fit or unfit, based on the feature amount; a memory unit that stores therein a plurality of pieces of different category classification pattern information prepared for each category for classifying the paper sheets into a plurality of categories, which is obtained by combining the feature amounts; and a category determining unit that determines a category of the recognized paper sheet using a recognition result in the recognition unit and the category classification pattern information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventor: Hiroki Hamasaki
  • Patent number: 7552810
    Abstract: A coin discrimination sensor having an excitation coil and two detector coils arranged to detect eddy currents in a passing coin. The excitation coil is provided a composite waveform formed by adding a low frequency signal (30 KHz) with a high frequency signal (480 KHz). The two detector coils are arranged at different distances from the passing coin, and are calibrated to eliminate the common-mode voltage when no coin is present. As a coin passes by the sensor, eddy currents are induced in the coin which result in phase and amplitude shifts in the low and high frequency components of the detector signal. The low and high frequency components are separated from the detector signal, and their respective phases and amplitudes are ascertained and compared against values stored in a lookup table. These values represent the composition, thickness, and diameter characteristics of known coins, and if the signature of the processed coin does not appear in the lookup table, it can be flagged as an invalid coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: David J. Mecklenburg
  • Patent number: 7537099
    Abstract: A coin processing machine with a coin discriminator operated by a method is provided. The coin discriminator measures how a coin having an iron core covered by a layer of copper, brass, or bronze affects a coil when the coin is subjected to magnetic fields generated by the coil, external to the coin. Eddy currents induced in the coin are detected external of the coin. The discriminator induces a magnetic field in the coil by driving the coil with time varying drive signals having high frequencies. The coin discriminator receives the coin at precise positions in the magnetic field and detects the eddy currents induced in the coin by measuring the eddy currents through the coil. Then, the coin discriminator compares the measured eddy currents with predetermined values for different types of coils, and determines the structure, materials and type of the coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Scan Coin Industries AB
    Inventor: Geoffrey Howells
  • Publication number: 20090045031
    Abstract: A method and system for prevention of dust accumulation on a coin sensor assembly (67) in a coin handling machine (60), includes a lower optical element (83, 90) positioned below a coin track (63) and then either, or both of, 1) blowing off dust that tends to accumulate on the cover (83) for the lower optical element (90) and 2) coating the cover (83) for the lower optical element (90) with a transparent conductive coating (83a) that is electrically grounded to prevent accumulation of dust due to static electrical attraction. A fan unit (82) is positioned adjacent the cover (83) for blowing dust off the cover (83) during operation of the coin handling machine (60). The method and system is preferably a optical reflector system with an upper optical element in the form of a reflector (86, 87) and a transparent conductive coating of material (87a) is also provided on the reflector (86, 87).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Robert E. Gunst, Thomas P. Adams, Jason R. Parpart, Myron W. Spoehr
  • Patent number: 7108120
    Abstract: A coin inspection method and apparatus capable of inspecting coins having different materials and surface patterns with high accuracy by a simple coil arrangement. An exciting coil is arranged in the vicinity of one side of a coin passage inclined at a predetermined angle so that two magnetic poles thereof face the coin passage. Two receiving coils having substantially identical characteristics are arranged in the vicinity of the same side of the coin passage so that the receiving coils are electromagnetically coupled with the exciting coil. The exciting coil is excited at a predetermined frequency and an oscillation voltage of the exciting coil is detected. Also, an influence of a reactive magnetic field produced by eddy current induced on a surface of the coin is detected by the receiving coil. Material of the coin can be determined based on the oscillation voltage level of the exciting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
    Inventor: Yonezo Furuya
  • Patent number: 7104384
    Abstract: A method for measuring the diameter of coins in coin validators, comprising the steps below: The coins traverse an electromagnetic field which is formed such as to partially hide the field, at least also by their upper area. The field is generated between at least one transmitter coil and a receiver coil. The transmitter coil is periodically acted on by a short transmission pulse the duration of which is small as compared to the time of coin passage. The maximal attenuation values are determined for different times of the transmission pulse. The attenuation values measured are extrapolated into time 0. The measured value determined by extrapolation is compared to a predetermined acceptance band or a predetermined characteristic line for coin diameters for comparison to a stored setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: National Rejectors, Inc. GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Cohrs, Wilfried Meyer
  • Patent number: 7073654
    Abstract: A coin selector assembly includes a coin passageway having at least a pair of thickness sensor unit operatively positioned along the coin passageway to provide respective measurements of the thickness of the coin. A comparing unit compares the respective thickness signals with corresponding stored standard values representative of a genuine coin to determine the authenticity of the coin. Additional sensor unit can be positioned along the coin passageway and excited with different frequencies. Thus, a material sensor unit and a diameter sensor unit or a pair of diameter sensor unit can also be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinari Matubara, Hiroshi Ohtomo
  • Patent number: 7071685
    Abstract: A planar induction sensor for sensing of security features of documents having changing magnetic and (or) conducting properties is of a multilayer printed circuit board design. The sensor comprises a planar current transformer with a spiral-type primary coils and one or several turns of secondary coil in an adjacent layer of the printed circuit board. The secondary coil of the current transformer is connected to an operating coil, which is situated at a sensing edge of the sensor. The operating coil can be formed by external wires or can be incorporated in the circuit board of the current transformer. When a security element, made from the magnetic or conductive material moves past the sensing edge of the sensor, a change in inductance of the induction sensor occurs. In a preferred embodiment, two induction sensors with individual associated electronic circuits were located on opposite sides of validator channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: CashCode Company Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Saltsov, Volodymyr Barchuk, Sergiy Androsyuk, Dmitro Baydin, Vitaliy Grzhibovskyy, Yevgeniy Yavorskyy, Gennadiy Gaponyuk
  • Patent number: 6957732
    Abstract: A system which will allow a bill acceptor and dispenser to be incorporated into a vending machine operating on a standardized vending machine protocol to allow the vending machine to dispense change in the form of coins and/or currency according to the amount of change to be dispensed and the availability of specific denominations of coins and currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: JCM American Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua Corrick, Raymond Heidel
  • Publication number: 20040173434
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new identification method • identification device of a coin-like product, and a coin-like product having a structure for identification that makes the identification method applicable. The coin-like product 1 of the present invention has a laminate structure formed by two or more kinds of metal layers 11 and 12. The first layer 11, which is a surface layer on one plate side of the laminate structure, and the second layer 12, which is a surface layer on the other plate side of the laminate structure, have different electric conductivities, which makes it possible to identify the structure by a reflex electronic sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Japan Mint
    Inventors: Shinichi Morita, Yoshinori Yama, Hideaki Mori
  • Publication number: 20040129527
    Abstract: A coin discriminating device has a sensor electrode and an oscillator. The oscillator is coupled to the sensor electrode. The oscillator generates an output signal with a frequency which is capacitively controllable. A frequency detector detects a frequency deviation in the oscillator output signal, caused by a variation in capacitance at the sensor electrode when a coin is positioned in the vicinity of the sensor electrode. A processing device determines the thickness of the coin from the frequency deviation. The coin discriminating device is arranged such that the variation in capacitance occurs between the sensor electrode and a surface of the coin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Manfred Jonsson
  • Patent number: 6742644
    Abstract: An acceptor-dispenser validator system for accepting bills, vouchers, scrip and/or currency into, and for distributing currency or a currency equivalent from, an electronic gaming machine or alternative type of customer service device is disclosed. The system includes a note acceptor-dispenser assembly to be mounted in or on the machine, the note acceptor-dispenser having a note validator to sense the authenticity, denomination, amount and type of the note passing there through and issue a signal corresponding to the note type to the acceptor-dispenser's processor and the host machine's processor for accumulation of credits. A note box is provided to receive deposited notes as is a note hopper to receive and dispense notes intended for payouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: JCM American Corporation
    Inventor: Ray Heidel
  • Patent number: 6705448
    Abstract: Coins may be validated and denominated by comparing varying signals from coin sensors and checking whether a predetermined relationship between them is maintained, for example, as the coin moves past die sensors. In some implementations, each varying signal may represent the varying effect on a sensor as the coin moves relate to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Mars Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul Franklin Steel
  • Publication number: 20040035673
    Abstract: A coin handling machine includes a coin sorting passage formed with a reference guide rail, a sensor for detecting optical properties and magnetic properties of the coins, a coin sorting opening along the inner wall of the reference guide rail and a coin sorting member provided in the vicinity of a side portion of the coin sorting opening on the side of the reference guide rail, the coin sorting member including a coin supporting section having a coin supporting surface for supporting one edge portion of the coin being transported in the coin sorting passage and a coin press section for pressing the coin, and it further includes a rotary solenoid for moving the coin supporting section between a coin support position where the coin supporting surface can support one edge portion of the coin being transported in the coin sorting passage and a retracted position where the coin supporting surface cannot support the coin and moving the coin press section so as to press the coin downward in synchronism with the mov
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiko Hibari
  • Patent number: 6675948
    Abstract: An apparatus adapted for testing, in a non-contact manner, true/false property of bill, coin or magnetic card to be tested, comprises a non-contact type magnetic sensor 1 disposed, at a predetermined position of a carrying passage of the bill, in a manner close to the carrying path, and a testing circuit 2 for testing true/false property of the bill on the basis of a signal outputted from the magnetic sensor according as the bill is carried along the carrying passage. This testing apparatus permits improvement in the security and prevention of wear of bill and the apparatus itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Conlux Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yonezo Furuya
  • Patent number: 6667615
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a metallic surface identifying sensor including: a magnetic pole portion for detection which shifts facing a surface of a magnetic body to be identified having an uneven shape wherein the distance from the surface to be identified changes along with the uneven shape while shifting; a reference magnetic pole portion which is placed across from a reference surface, wherein the distance from the reference surface to the magnetic pole portion is maintained approximately constant regardless of the shifting of the magnetic pole portion for detection in relation with the surface to be identified; magnetizing coils which are separately wound around the magnetic pole portion for detection and the reference magnetic pole portion to generate magnetic fluxes; and detecting coils which are separately wound around the magnetic pole portion for detection and the reference magnetic pole portion to detect the magnetic fluxes wherein the uneven shape of the surface to be identified of the met
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fusayoshi Aruga, Junichi Nakajyo, Shogo Momose, Hiroshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6600313
    Abstract: A device for reading an elongate magnetic data carrier attached to or embedded in an article, having an active read head adapted to have a lateral extent greater than the width of the data carrier, preferably four times greater, such that the magnetic field produced by the read head results in a signal from the data carrier which has an amplitude which varies by less than 50% for head to data carrier spacings of from 0 to 60 microns. A wide read head can also make the reading of data more reproducible when reading narrow tracks using swipe readers, where precise alignment is difficult to achieve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Thorn Secure Science Limited
    Inventors: Kevin John Atkins, Ian Macdonald Green
  • Patent number: 6539083
    Abstract: A coin validation arrangement, usable for example in pay telephones, uses one or more inductive sensors having a small effective magnetic field so that the inductive sensor responds only to the material of a strip across the coin. Preferably a plurality of inductive sensors are used, mounted at different heights above the floor of a coin guide, at different positions along the coin path. At each position along the coin path there may be either one or a plurality of inductive sensors. Preferably the inductive sensors are surface mount inductors on a printed circuit board which forms part of one wall of the coin guide. Such arrangements are particularly useful for recognizing coins having an outer ring made of a different material from the central disc, and for distinguishing such coins from uniform composition coins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Marconi Communications Limited
    Inventor: James Churchman
  • Publication number: 20030034223
    Abstract: A method for measuring the diameter of coins in coin validators, comprising the steps below:
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Ulrich Cohrs, Wilfried Meyer
  • Patent number: 6378685
    Abstract: A coin-receiving device including a coins-lump insertion part and a coin-sending device. A foreign objects separator catches foreign objects among inserted things and removes the foreign objects from coin-passage. The inserted items received from the coins-lump insertion part reach the coin-sending device through the foreign objects separator. Any foreign objects other than coins among the inserted items are caught by the separator before being processed by the coin-sending device and are removed from the coin-passage, thus being prevented from going together with following coins to the coin-sending device, and reducing clogging on passages of the coin-sending device and breakage of specific mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Aruze Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masami Tamaki
  • Patent number: 6310475
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic fields deriving from a magnetic body to detect any magnetic body on a non-magnetic body by moving relative to the non-magnetic body in prescribed relative moving directions along the surface of the non-magnetic body includes a magnetizing magnet in which a line connecting the N and S poles thereof is a direction substantially orthogonal to, and of which one pole is arranged either in contact with or in proximity to, the surface of the non-magnetic body; and a magnetism detecting element having two magnetic detectors arranged along a magnetic field detecting direction, the magnetic field detecting direction being orthogonal to the relative moving directions in a surface parallel to the surface of the non-magnetic body, wherein the magnetic body is magnetized by the magnetizing magnet along with the movement relative to the non-magnetic body, and magnetic fields according to the quantity of the magnetized part of the magnetic body are differentially detected by the two m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawase, Koichi Hara, Naruki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6288538
    Abstract: A surface profile detecting device comprises a plurality of bar-like cores disposed in a line with predetermined intervals in a predetermined disposing direction. Each core has tip ends that are arranged on a single plane and which face a surface of an object to be measured having recesses and protrusions in a magnetic field such that they are relatively movable in a direction orthogonal to said disposing direction. The detecting device also includes detecting arrangement provided in each of the bar-like cores for detecting changes in magnetic flux generated due to the uneven profile of the object to be measured. An A/D converting device is provided for A/D converting the output of the detecting arrangement with a predetermined timing. A memory is also provided for storing the output from the AND converting device. The uneven profile of the object to be measured in a predetermined range is detected from the data stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fusayoshi Aruga, Mitsuo Yokozawa
  • Publication number: 20010009485
    Abstract: An apparatus adapted for testing, in a non-contact manner, true/false property of bill, coin or magnetic card to be tested, comprises a non-contact type magnetic sensor 1 disposed, at a predetermined position of a carrying passage of the bill, in a manner close to the carrying path, and a testing circuit 2 for testing true/false property of the bill on the basis of a signal outputted from the magnetic sensor according as the bill is carried along the carrying passage. This testing apparatus permits improvement in the security and prevention of wear of bill and the apparatus itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Applicant: Nippon Conlux Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yonezo Furuya
  • Patent number: 6057683
    Abstract: An induction head for sensing a magnetic strip or other magnetically permeable security structures includes an exciting coil associated with an electrically conductive concentrator, which produces a primary field and induces a responsive secondary field in the concentrator. The concentrator has an endwall and sidewalls defining a central cavity. The endwall has a narrow measuring gap dividing the endwall into two opposed sections. The sidewalls are also interrupted adjacent the measuring gap to cause a concentrated current of the secondary field to pass along the gap. This concentrated current can be monitored for a change in induction due to the presence of an elongate magnetic strip or other magnetically permeable security structure which is moved past the measuring gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Cashcode Company Inc.
    Inventor: Vitold A. Khvostov
  • Patent number: 5609235
    Abstract: A coin mechanism for a bulk vendor or the like is provided with a magnetic discriminating device, for selectively accepting coins having a magnetic component and rejecting coins or slugs which have no magnetic component. A magnet is lodged in the coin conveyor flush with the seating surface for a coin, and a resilient urging member such as a spring projects above the seating surface. The attractive force of the magnet on a coin having a magnetic component is greater than the repelling force of the spring, so a coin having a magnetic component is retained in the coin carrier while a coin or slug having no magnetic component is unseated by the spring and ejected into a coin rejection chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Machine-O-Matic Limited
    Inventor: Josef W. Schwarzli
  • Patent number: 4676358
    Abstract: A coin control system for determining whether proper coinage has been inserted to start a coin operated device. The coin in vertical orientation falls onto an inclined ramp, down which it rolls past a mechanism which detects magnetic materials. The coin rolls past a photocell which projects a beam positioned to be interrupted by only the upper limb or arc of the rolling coin. The ramp is mounted between closely spaced side plates and may be vertically adjusted between them with respect to the photocell so that it can be set for coins of different sizes. The coin control mechanism and a coin collection box are each separately lockable within a housing and are both further protected by a specially removable, lockable cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Inventor: Warren G. Rosendahl, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4591042
    Abstract: A coin machine for collection and checking of different types of coins and for release of a device for dispensing goods when the proper number of coins for the item purchase price is inserted into the coin machine. The coin-checking device comprises a carrier plate arranged vertically between a housing front and back wall, wherein at least on one side of the carrier plate there is located parallel thereto a coin-checking plate which can be tilted. Adjacent to the coin-checking plate there is located parallel to the carrier plate a coin-channel plate which is fitted with inclined slots, through which extend angular protrusions of a lower plate and which form the bottom of the running channels for the coins. The coin-channel plate is also parallel to the carrier plate and can also be swiveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: Hans Wenner