OUTPUT OF COINS FROM A COIN STORAGE

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field coin handling machines. In particular, it relates to an arrangement and a method for facilitating output of coins from a coin storage of a coin handling machine.

Background

Coin handling machines usually comprise coin storages for storing and dispensing of coins. Coins are typically received at the top of the coin storage and dispensed at the bottom of the coin storage. A problem which may occur in coin storages is that the coins are not optimally packed. Rather, the coins may build formations in the coin storage, e.g., in the form of bridges between the walls of the coin storage. This is particularly the case for large coin storages.

Formation of coins, and in particular bridge formations, in a coin storage may result in that no coins reach the opening at the bottom of the coin storage through which coins are dispensed. Instead the coins may form a bridge between the walls of the coin storage above the opening. As a result, the dispensing of coins from the coin storage will not work properly. There is thus a need for improvements.

Summary of the invention

In view of the above, it is thus an object of the present invention to mitigate the effects of bridge formations of coins in a coin storage, and facilitate output of coins from a coin storage of a coin handling machine.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by an arrangement for facilitating output of coins from a coin storage of a coin handling machine. The arrangement comprises:

a coin storage for storing and dispensing coins; a vibration generator arranged to cause the coin storage to vibrate such as to break bridge formations of coins in the coin storage; and

a control unit arranged to intermittently activate the vibration generator to cause the coin storage to vibrate.

The arrangement thus comprises a vibration generator which, when activated, causes the coin storage to vibrate. When the coin storage is vibrated, formation of coins, such as bridge formations of coins, are broken. In this way, any coin formation preventing coins from reaching the opening at the bottom of the coin storage through which coins are dispensed are removed. Hence, the output of coins from the coin storage is facilitated.

As the coin storage is caused to vibrate, the coins will be packed denser towards the bottom of the coin storage. Due to the dense packing of coins, the dispensing of coins may be slacker. This may cause wear of the parts of the coin storage, resulting in that parts of the coin storage have to be replaced more often. However, this problem may be reduced by activating the vibration generator intermittently. In other words, the vibration generator is activated in periods and not all the time.

The control unit may generally be configured to activate the vibration generator if there is a prevailing risk of bridge formations in the coin storage. There are different factors which may indicate that a risk of bridge formations of coins is prevailing.

One factor which indicates that a risk of bridge formations is prevailing, is the number of coins in the coin storage. If there are few coins in the coin storage, there is little or no risk of bridge formations of coins. However, as the number of coins in the coin storage increases, the risk of bridge formation of coins increases, and as the number of coins passes a certain threshold, it may become necessary to activate the vibration generator. Therefore, the control unit may be arranged to activate the vibration generator if the number of coins in the coin storage exceeds a pre-set threshold.

The arrangement may keep track of the number of coins in the coin storage by detecting the number of coins that enters the coin storage, and the number of coins that are dispensed from the coin storage. Another factor which indicates that a risk of bridge formations is prevailing is the rate at which coins are dispensed from the coin storage when the coin storage is in a state where it dispenses coins. If there are bridge formations in the coin storage, the rate at which coins are dispensed from the coin storage will typically decrease. This is due to the fact that the bridge formations prevent coins from being dispensed from the coin storage.

Therefore, the control unit may further be arranged to activate the vibration generator if a number of dispensed coins per time unit is below a pre-set threshold.

Another factor which indicates that a risk of bridge formations is prevailing is the physical level of coins in the coin storage in comparison to the number of coins in the coin storage. The physical level of coins in the coin storage should correlate with the number of coins in the coin storage. For example there may be a linear relationship between the physical level of coins and the number of coins in the coin storage. If there are bridge formations of coins in the coin storage, the physical level of coins in the coin storage will typically be higher than expected in relation to the number of coins in the coin storage. The expected physical level may for instance be given by the linear relationship between the physical level of coins and the number of coins in the coin storage. Therefore, the arrangement may further comprise a level sensor for sensing the physical level of coins in the coin storage, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the vibration generator if the physical level of coins does not match with the number of coins in the coin storage.

By the physical level of coins matching with the number of coins in the coin storage is meant that the physical level of coins in the coin storage complies with an established relationship between the physical level of coins in the coin storage and the number of coins in the coin storage.

As explained above, the control unit may be configured to activate the vibration generator intermittently. In particular, the control unit may be configured to activate the vibration generator intermittently if the control unit has determined that there is a prevailing risk of bridge formations of coins in the coin storage. According to embodiments, the control unit may further be arranged to activate the vibration generator during periods when coins are dispensed from the coin storage. In this way, the vibration generator is only activated during periods when bridge formations may cause a problem with the dispensing of coins.

According to embodiments, the control unit may thus be configured to activate the vibration generator if there is a prevailing risk of bridge formations in the coin storage (as indicated by the factors discussed above) at the same time as coins are dispensed from the coin storage.

This synchronization between coin dispensing and vibration of the coin storage may be achieved in different ways.

In some embodiments, the control unit may further be arranged to control the dispensing of coins from the coin storage. In such embodiments, the control unit may be arranged to synchronize the control of the dispensing of coins and the activation of the vibration generator, such that the vibration generator is activated during periods when coins are dispensed from the coin storage.

In other embodiments, there may be a separate control unit for controlling the dispensing of coins from the coin storage. In such

embodiments, the control unit associated with the vibration generator may receive a signal from the separate control unit associated with coin

dispensing indicating that coins are dispensed. Upon receipt of such signal, the control unit associated with the vibration generator may activate the vibration generator.

As explained above, there is a risk that the coins in the coin storage are packed too dense if the vibration generator is activated during long periods of time, thereby causing unnecessary wear of the parts of the coin storage during dispensing. In order to further reduce this risk the control unit may be arranged to activate the vibration generator intermittently during periods when coins are dispensed from the coin storage. In other words, the vibration generator is only activated in periods during coin dispensing.

Alternatively, or additionally, the control unit may further be arranged to activate the vibration generator to cause the coin storage to vibrate with an amplitude that varies during periods when coins are dispensed from the coin storage. This will also reduce the problem with dense packing of the coins in the coin storage.

As further discussed above, bridge formation of coins in the coin storage may cause problems with respect to dispensing of coins. For instance, one may arrive at the situation where no coins are dispensed from the coin storage, although the coin storage is supposed to dispense coins. The control unit may therefore be arranged to stop the dispensing of coins from the coin storage, activate the vibration generator, and re-start the dispensing of coins from the coin storage, upon determination that no coins are dispensed from the coin storage although the coin storage is instructed to dispense coins. In this way, the control unit may thus discover that a problem with respect to coin dispensing has occurred, and, in response thereto, take action to stop the coin dispensing, activate the vibration generator for a while in order to break bridge formations, and then resume the coin dispensing.

The vibration generator may be arranged such that at least a portion of the vibration generator is in abutment with a wall of the coin storage for causing the coin storage to vibrate. For example, the vibration generator may be mounted on a wall of the coin storage.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by a coin handling machine comprising the arrangement according to the first aspect.

The second aspect may generally have the same features and advantages as the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by a control method for facilitating output of coins from a coin storage from which coins are dispensable. The method comprises:

determining whether a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing; and if so

intermittently activating a vibration generator, whereby the vibration generator is arranged to cause the coin storage to vibrate such as to break bridge formations of coins in the coin storage.

The determining whether a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing may comprise: receiving information about a number of coins in the coin storage, comparing the number of coins in the coin storage to a preset threshold, and identifying that a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing if the number of coins in the coin storage exceeds the pre-set threshold.

The determining whether a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing may comprise: receiving information about a number of coins being dispensed per time unit, comparing the number of coins being dispensed per time unit to a pre-set threshold, and identifying that a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing if the number of coins being dispensed per time unit is below a pre-set threshold.

As a special case, the control unit may identify that a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing if no coins are dispensed from the coin storage although the coin storage is instructed to dispense coins.

The determining whether a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing may comprise: receiving information about the physical level of coins in the coin storage and information about a number of coins in the coin storage, comparing the physical level of coins in the coin storage to the information about a number of coins in the coin storage, and identifying that a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage is prevailing if the physical level of coins does not match with the number of coins in the coin storage.

The control method may further comprise: monitoring whether or not coins are dispensed from the coin storage, wherein the vibration generator is activated during periods when coins are dispensed from the coin storage.

The control method may further comprise instructing the coin storage to dispense coins, wherein the step of activating the vibration generator is synchronized with the step of instructing the coin storage to dispense coins, such that the vibration generator is activated during periods when coins are dispensed from the storage.

The vibration generator may further be activated intermittently during periods when coins are dispensed from the storage.

The vibration generator may be activated to cause the coin storage to vibrate with an amplitude that varies during periods when coins are dispensed from the storage. The step of intermittently activating a vibration generator may further comprise: stopping the dispensing of coins from the coin storage prior to activating the vibration generator, activating the vibration generator for a period of time, and starting the dispensing of coins after the vibration generator has been activated for a period of time.

The advantages of the first aspect apply to the third aspect mutatis mutandis.

It is further noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, where the same reference numerals will be used for similar elements, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a coin handling machine comprising an arrangement for facilitating output of coins from a coins storage according to embodiments.

Fig. 2a is a perspective view of an arrangement for facilitating output of coins from a coin storage according to embodiments. The arrangement is shown in a state where a vibration generator is deactivated.

Fig. 2b shows the arrangement of Fig. 2a in a state when the vibration generator is activated.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a control method for facilitating output of coins from a coin storage according to embodiments.

Detailed description of embodiments

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. The systems and devices disclosed herein will be described during operation. Fig. 1 illustrates a coin handling machine 1 according to an

embodiment. The illustrated coin handling machine 1 comprises several coin storages 2. For example, the different coin storages 2 may be adapted to hold coins of different values and sizes. However, in other embodiments, the coin handling machine 1 may comprise a single coin storage 2. The coin storage 2 may store and dispense coin. For that reason the coin storage 2 is sometimes referred to as a dispenser. As coins are entered in the coin handling machine 1 , e.g., via a coin inlet 3, the coin handling machine 1 directs the coins to the relevant coin storages 2. The coins thus typically enter the coin storage 2 from the top, and fall downwards in the coin storage 2 under action of gravity. As the coins fall down and land in the coin storage 2 they will typically not be optimally packed. For example, some coins may stand on edge. As a result, the coins may form formations in the coin storage 2 as will be further illustrated and described in conjunction to Fig. 2a.

Fig. 2a illustrates a coin storage 2 in more detail. The coin storage 2 has a coin inlet 4, here in the form of an upwardly facing opening for receiving coins 6. In connection to the coin inlet there may be a coin counter for counting the number of coins that enters the coin storage. The coin storage 2 further comprises a coin outlet 5 for dispensing coins, here in the form of a downwardly facing opening at the bottom of the coin storage 2. In connection to the coin outlet 5, there may be a control unit which may control the dispensing of coins, i.e., start and stop the dispensing of coins. The control unit may for example also keep track of the number of coins 6 that are dispensed from the coin storage 2, and the rate at which coins 6 are dispensed from the coin storage 2.

As explained above, the coins 6 may as they fall down and land in the coin storage 2 build formations. As shown in the blown-up part of Fig. 2a, the coins 6 have built a formation 7 which forms a bridge over the coin outlet 5. As a result, no coins 6 may be dispensed through the coin storage 2 via the coin outlet 5.

To remedy this problem, the coin storage 2 is provided with a vibration generator 8. The purpose of the vibration generator 8 is to cause the coin storage 2 to vibrate. In this way, any formations of coins in the coin storage 2 may be broken, as will be explained in more detail later on. Any type of vibration generator 8 fulfilling this purpose may be used. For example, the vibration generator 8 may be a vibrator, i.e., a device which vibrates itself and causes the coin storage 2 to vibrate due to the vibrator at least partly being in contact with the coin storage 2. According to another example, the vibration generator 8 may be an impacting means, such as a hammer, which hits against the coin storage 2, thereby causing it to vibrate.

In the illustrated example, the vibration generator 8 is arranged on one of the walls of the coin storage 2. More generally, the vibration generator 8 may be arranged such that a portion of the vibration generator is in contact, i.e., in abutment, with a wall of the coin storage 2. To this end, there are many possible ways of arranging the vibration generator in relation to the coin storage 2, some of which may give a better result than others. However, any arrangement of the vibration generator 8 allowing it to cause the coin storage 2 to vibrate may do.

The vibration generator 8 is further associated with a control unit 9 for controlling the vibration generator 8, i.e. to activate and deactivate the vibration generator 8. Here the control unit 9 is arranged next to the vibration generator 8. However, this does not need to be the case. The control unit 9 may be arranged somewhere else in the coin handling machine 1 as long as it may communicate with the vibration generator 8, e.g., by sending activation and deactivation signals to the vibration generator 8.

The control unit 9 may be separate from the control unit which controls the dispensing of coins 6 from the coin storage 2. Alternatively, it may be an integral part of the control unit for controlling the dispensing of coins 6 from the coin storage 2. The control unit 9 may thus be arranged to control the dispensing of coins from the coin storage 2 in addition to controlling the vibration generator 8.

The control unit 9 may be implemented in software. For this purpose, the control unit may comprise a processing unit and a (non-transitory) computer-readable medium for storing computer code instructions adapted to control the vibration generator 8, according to any method described herein, when executed by the processing unit. When the control unit 9 activates the vibration generator 8, the coin storage 2 is caused to vibrate. This is further illustrated in Fig. 2b. Upon vibrating the coin storage 2, formation of coins 6, and, in particular, bridge formations 7 of coins 6 which prevent coins from being dispensed from the coin storage 2 are broken. The bridge formed over the coin outlet 5 may in this way be broken, and coins 6 may be dispensed from the coin storage 2 via the coin outlet 5.

The coin storage 2, the vibration generator 8, and the control unit 9 thus form an arrangement 10, in a coin handling machine 1 , for facilitating output of coins 6 from the coin storage 2. The operation of the arrangement 10 will now be described with reference to Figs 2a, 2b and the flowchart of Fig. 3, which illustrates steps of a control method for facilitating output of coins 6 from a coin storage 2.

As described above, the coin storage 2 is provided with a vibration generator 8 which is arranged to cause to coin storage 2 to vibrate. Upon vibrating the coin storage 2, formation of coins 6, and, in particular, bridge formations 7 of coins 6 which prevent coins from being dispensed from the coin storage 2 are broken. As a result of the vibration, the coins 6 will be put in order, and be more densely packed in the coin storage 2. Preferably, however, the vibration generator 8 is not activated all the time, but only when there is an increased risk of bridge formations 7. If the vibration generator 8 is run too often, there is a risk that the coins 6 become too densely packed, which in turn makes it more difficult to dispense coins. This may also increase wear of dispensing parts of the coin storage 2.

Therefore, in a first step, S02, the control unit 9, determines whether a risk of bridge formations 7 in the coin storage 2 is prevailing. In order to do so, the control unit 9 may check whether one or more factors which are indicative of bridge formations 7 are satisfied.

A first factor which may indicate that there is a risk of bridge formations 7 in the coin storage 2 is the number of coins 6 in the coin storage 2. The risk of bridge formations 7 in the coin storage 2 typically increases as the number of coins 6 in the coin storage 2 increases. As further disclosed above, the arrangement 10 may keep track of the number of coins in the coin storage 2 by counting the number of coins 6 entering the coin storage 2, and the number of coins 6 being dispensed from the coin storage 2. The control unit 9 may thus, in step S02a, receive information about a number of coins 6 in the coin storage 2.

The control unit 9 may thereafter compare the number of coins 6 in the coin storage to a threshold, step S02b, and determine that there is a risk of bridge formations if the number of coins 6 exceeds the threshold, step S02c. The threshold is generally preset and its value may be set based on empirical studies.

A second factor which may indicate that there is a risk of bridge formations 7 in the coin storage 2 is the number of coins 6 being dispensed per time unit. This presupposes of course that the coin storage 2 is in a state where it is supposed to dispense coins, e.g., as instructed by the control unit which controls the coin dispensing. As bridge formations 7 prevent coins 6 from being dispensed, the rate at which coins 6 are dispensed decreases if there are bridge formations 7. The control unit 9 may therefore receive, in step S02a, information regarding the rate at which coins 6 are dispensed from the coin storage, and compare, in step S02b, the rate at which coins are dispensed from the coin storage 2. If the rate is lower than a pre-set threshold (which is different from the threshold described in connection to the first factor), the control unit 9 may identify, in step S02c, that there is a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage 2. The threshold is generally preset and its value may be set based on empirical studies.

As a special case, the control unit 9 may identify that there is a risk of bridge formations 7 if no coins at all are dispensed from the coin storage 2 although the coin storage 2 was supposed to dispense coins 6.

A third factor which may indicate that there is a risk of bridge

formations 7 in the coin storage 2 is the physical level of coins in relation to the number of coins 6 in the coin storage 2. There is typically a relationship, such as a linear relationship, between the number of coins 6 in the coin storage 2 and the physical level of coins in the coin storage 2. The number of coins 6 and the physical level of coins 6 should hence correlate. In order to measure the physical level of coins 6 in the coin storage 2, the arrangement 10 may further comprise a level sensor 1 1 being arranged at the coin storage 2. For example, the level sensor 1 1 may be arranged at one of the inner walls of the coins storage 2 and measure the level of coins according to any known technique. This may e.g. include sending out a signal towards the coins, such as a light or an ultra sound signal, and measure the time until the signal comes back at the level sensor 1 1 . The control unit 9 may be arranged to receive, in step S02a, information about the physical level of coins 6 as measured by the level sensor 1 1 .

If the control unit 9 finds that the physical level of coins does not match, in step S02b, with the number of coins, e.g., that the physical level of coins is higher than what is predicted by the relationship between the physical level of coins and the number of coins, if may identify, in step S02c, that there is a risk of bridge formations in the coin storage 2.

Upon a positive determination in step S02, i.e. if the control unit 9 has found that there is a risk of bridge formations, the control unit 9 proceeds to activate the vibration generator 8. However, the control unit 9 does typically not activate the vibration generator 8 all the time, but rather in periods, i.e. intermittently, in order to not pack the coins too densely.

According to an embodiment, the control unit 9 monitors, in step

S04a1 , whether or not coins are dispensed from the coin storage. For example, the control unit 9 may itself be arranged to control the dispensing of coins 6, thereby having knowledge of whether or not coins are dispensed. Alternatively, the control unit 9 may receive such information from a separate control unit being arranged to control the dispensing of coins. The control unit 9 may then activate, in step S04a2, the vibration generator 8 during periods when coins 6 are dispensed from the coin storage 2. The control unit 9 may for example synchronize the sending of an activation signal/deactivation signal to the vibration generator 8, with a signal for starting/stopping the dispensing of coins 6 from the coin storage 2. This applies in the case where the control unit 9 controls both the vibration generator 8 and the dispensing of coins, as well as in the case where the dispensing of coins is controlled by a separate control unit. In the latter case, the control unit 9 may receive signals indicating whether coins are dispensed or not from the separate control unit, such that the activation of the vibration generator 8 may be synchronized with the coin dispensing.

In order to further reduce the risk of packing the coins 6 too densely, the activation of the vibration generator 8 may be discontinuous during periods when coins are dispensed. The control unit 9 may thus activate (i.e. turn on) and deactivate (i.e. turn off) the vibration generator 8 a number of times during the coin dispensing, such that the vibration generator 8 only is activated in periods during coin dispensing.

Alternatively, or additionally, the control unit 9 may control an amplitude of the vibrations of the coin storage 2 caused by the vibration generator 8. In particular, the control unit 9 may cause the amplitude of the vibrations to vary during periods when the vibration generator 8 is activated.

According other embodiments, the control unit 9 takes another approach. Suppose that the coin storage 2 is in a state where it dispenses coins 6. Upon the control unit 9 determining, in step S02, that there is a risk of bridge formations 7 in the coin storage 2 (e.g. since no coins are dispensed from the coin storage 2, or for any other reason described above), the control unit which controls dispensing of coins (which may be the same or separate from the control unit 9) may stop, in step S04b1 , the dispensing of coins 6. When the coin dispensing has been stopped, the control unit 9 may activate, in step S04b2, the vibration generator 8 for a period of time in order to break any bridge formations 7. When the control unit 9 has deactivated the vibration generator 8, the control unit for dispensing of coins may instruct the coin storage 2 to resume, in step S04b3, the coin dispensing.

It will be appreciated that a person skilled in the art can modify the above-described embodiments in many ways and still use the advantages of the invention as shown in the embodiments above. Thus, the invention should not be limited to the shown embodiments but should only be defined by the appended claims. Additionally, as the skilled person understands, the shown embodiments may be combined.