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EP-4246472-B1 - COIN HANDLING APPARATUS AND COIN HANDLING METHOD

EP4246472B1EP 4246472 B1EP4246472 B1EP 4246472B1EP-4246472-B1

Inventors

  • NISHIMURA, KAZUAKI

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230314

Claims (8)

  1. A coin handling apparatus (2), comprising: a cassette attachment unit (29) where a cassette (3) is configured to be attached; a coin supply unit (20) configured to supply a coin to the cassette (3); and a control unit (26), wherein the control unit (26) is configured to cause the cassette (3) attached to the cassette attachment unit (29) to perform a first confirmation operation when the cassette (3) does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the first confirmation operation being an operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette (3), and operate the coin supply unit (20) to supply a coin to the cassette (3) attached to the cassette attachment unit (29) without causing the cassette (3) to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette (3) satisfies the predetermined condition. characterized in that the cassette (3) comprises a conveyor (36) configured to transport a coin in the cassette (3) and a sensor (38) configured to detect a coin in the cassette (3); and the first confirmation operation is an operation of the conveyor (36) for transporting a coin to a detection area (39) of the sensor (38).
  2. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to claim 1 wherein when an error occurs in the coin supply unit (20) or the cassette (3) while a coin is being supplied from the coin supply unit (20) to the cassette (3), the control unit (26) is configured to cause the cassette (3) to perform a second confirmation operation different from the first confirmation operation, the second confirmation operation being for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette (3).
  3. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to claim 2, wherein the second confirmation operation comprises an operation of the conveyor (36) for transporting a coin in a first direction toward the detection area (39) of the sensor (38) and an operation of the conveyor (36) for transporting a coin in a second direction different from the first direction.
  4. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the control unit (26) is configured to acquire an inventory amount in the cassette (3); and when the sensor (38) detects a coin as a result of the first confirmation operation even though the inventory amount is 0, the control unit (26) generates a signal to notify that a coin has been detected.
  5. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to claim 4, wherein the control unit (26) is configured to acquire the inventory amount from a memory (40) comprised in the cassette (3).
  6. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the predetermined condition is a condition such that the cassette (3) is attached to the cassette attachment unit (29) within a predetermined time after last emptying of the cassette (3).
  7. The coin handling apparatus (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the predetermined condition is a condition such that the cassette (3) is attached to the cassette attachment unit (29) of the coin handling apparatus (2) having last emptied the cassette (3).
  8. A coin handling method that is performed by a coin handling apparatus (2) configured to supply a coin to a cassette (3), the coin handling method comprising: determining whether or not the cassette (3) attached to a cassette attachment unit (29) satisfies a predetermined condition; causing the cassette (3) to perform a first confirmation operation when the cassette (3) does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the first confirmation operation being an operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette (3); and supplying a coin to the cassette (3) without causing the cassette (3) to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette (3) satisfies the predetermined condition, characterized in that the cassette (3) comprises a conveyor (36) configured to transport a coin in the cassette (3) and a sensor (38) configured to detect a coin in the cassette (3); and the first confirmation operation is an operation of the conveyor (36) for transporting a coin to a detection area (39) of the sensor (38).

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a coin handling apparatus and a coin handling method. Background Art As disclosed in Patent Literature 1 (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 1), for example, a coin handling apparatus for handling coins is known. Patent Literature 2 (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 2) discloses a money handling machine comprising a casing, an inlet, a transport unit, a money storing unit, a recycling money storing and feeding unit, and a control unit. Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-287318PTL 2 US 2012/012437 A1 Summary of Invention Technical Problem In recent years, it has been proposed to use a cassette that stores coins for transferring coins between a plurality of coin handling apparatuses. The shorter the time required to transfer coins from a coin handling apparatus to a cassette, the better. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a money handling apparatus and a money handling method both capable of completing the transferring of coins to a cassette in a short time. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. Solution to Problem A coin handling apparatus according to the present disclosure according to claim 1 comprises: a cassette attachment unit where a cassette is configured to be attached; a coin supply unit configured to supply a coin to the cassette; and a control unit that causes the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit to perform a first confirmation operation when the cassette does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the first confirmation operation being an operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette, and operates the coin supply unit to supply a coin to the cassette attached to the cassette attachment unit without causing the cassette to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette satisfies the predetermined condition. The first confirmation operation is an operation of confirming whether or not a coin remain in the cassette. The cassette comprises a conveyor for transporting coins in the cassette and a sensor for detecting a coin in the cassette. The first confirmation operation is the operation of a conveyor for transporting a coin to a detection area of the sensor. When an error occurs in the coin supply unit or the cassette while a coin is being supplied from the coin supply unit to the cassette, the control unit may cause the cassette to perform a second confirmation operation different from the first confirmation operation, the second confirmation operation being for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette. The second confirmation operation may be an operation of confirming whether or not a coin remains in the cassette. The second confirmation operation may be a combination of an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin in a first direction toward the detection area of the sensor and an operation of the conveyor for transporting a coin in a second direction different from the first direction. The control unit may be configured to be able to acquire the inventory amount in the cassette. When the sensor detects a coin as a result of the first confirmation operation even though the inventory amount is 0, the control unit may generate a signal to notify that the coin has been detected. The control unit may be configured to be able to acquire the inventory amount from a memory comprised in the cassette. The predetermined condition may be a condition such that the cassette is attached to a cassette attachment unit within a predetermined time after the cassette was last emptied (i.e. the last emptying of the cassette). In addition, the predetermined condition may be a condition such that the cassette is attached to the cassette attachment unit of the coin handling apparatus that has last emptied the cassette. The predetermined condition may be a condition such that both of these conditions are satisfied. A coin handling method according to the present disclosure according to claim 8 is performed by a coin handling apparatus configured to supply a coin to a cassette, and the coin handling method comprises: determining whether or not the cassette attached to a cassette attachment unit satisfies a predetermined condition; causing the cassette to perform a first confirmation operation for confirming that a coin remains in the cassette when the cassette does not satisfy the predetermined condition; and supplying a coin to the cassette without causing the cassette to perform the first confirmation operation when the cassette satisfies the predetermined condition. Advantageous Effects of Invention The present disclosure can provide a money handling apparatus and a money handling method both capable of completing the transferring of coins to a cassette in a short time. Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a coin handling system according to an embodiment;FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustr