Coin Acceptors, Inc.

H. R. Electronics Company

Other

Ara Services, Inc.

Joseph L Levasseur

Mark H Leibu

William A Seiter

Ronald A Hoormann

Chad P Stuemke

Jack R Hoffmann, Jr

Roger O Claghorn

Michael A Nogin

Wayne T Biermann

Larry D Lee

Ian F Murphy

James C Douglass

Calvin J Christensen

Herbert H Jamgochian

Ronald A Hoorman

A cassette having a plurality of coin stores for storing and dispensing coins in a coin changer, the coin stores arranged in a plurality of rows of coin stores, and a coin reject path for transporting coins that have been rejected by the coin changer, the coin reject path being disposed between rows of the coin stores.

Coin storage cassette

An improved method and apparatus for selection of vendible products provides designated product reference areas at a refrigerated double glass front vending machine for making viewable product selections thereon by applying a light tap at its outer glass pane and sensing the tap location by three or more spaced apart resilient members each having its first portion attached at the inner glass pane. The resilient member's second portion suspends an inertia mass that reciprocates at a predetermined rate due to the inertia mass weight and the resiliency of the suspending member. A sensor senses the reciprocating movement in response to the light tap. The location of the tap is determined by measuring the arrival time of each predetermined signal produced by the first resonating alternation of its attached resiliently suspended inertia mass during the first rearward movement of the inner glass pane.

Method of selecting a product from a refrigerated glass front vending machine

A system and method of delivering products from a vending machine having a number of selectable product storage locations comprising actively moving products using a product delivery mechanism associated with each of said selected product storage locations, driving an endless element having at least one engagement finger that is moved in a first direction by an actuator to engage one of a number of rotatable drive elements each connected to said product delivery mechanism, driving said endless element with said engagement finger in a second direction by reversing said actuator and going past said rotatable drive elements without engagement to provide for the selection of other products.

Product dispenser for a vending machine

A bill validator for detecting the presence of a bill comprising a bill passageway having a first side and a second side, a light source positioned at the first side, the light source for emitting light across the passageway, a reflecting surface positioned at the second side, and a detector device positioned at the first side, the detector device for receiving light reflected from the reflecting surface.

System for detecting a foreign object attached to a bill passing through a bill validator

A system and method for controlling off-line credit vend transactions are provided, including a vending system having a vend selection and delivery portion operable off-line, an associated credit card reader, and a transaction controller operatively connected to the card reader to receive information read from an inserted credit card and operatively connected to the vend selection and delivery portion to enable operation thereof. The system is operable, while off-line, to determine acceptability of an inserted card and the current availability at such system of off-line credit for an acceptable credit card, to enable operation of the vend selection and delivery portion if credit is authorized, and to be responsive to vend completion by the vend selection and delivery portion to store transaction information for the credit vend. The credit vend transaction information can later be downloaded and utilized for credit billing purposes. Information for use in determining credit transaction limitation counts and account numbers for preferred cards, and for determining higher credit transaction limitation counts for preferred cards, can be uploaded and stored in the system for use in determining card acceptability and the availability of off-line credit.

Off-line credit card transaction system and method for vending machines

A coin detection device for determining a size of a coin traveling along a coin track comprises a first inductive sensor positioned along the coin track, a second inductive sensor positioned above the first inductive sensor, a processing circuit connected to the first and second inductive sensors, each of the sensors for providing an output signal to the processing circuit and the processing circuit determining the size of the coin based upon a ratio of the output signals.

Coin detection device

An integrated credit/information exchange module includes a bill examination portion, a card examination portion, a display portion, and a data entry portion connected to and controlled by a processor portion. The integrated module also includes a modular housing and faceplate configured for simple retrofit installation into existing vending machines having bill acceptor slots to overcome the space limitations of such vending machines. The faceplate includes a bill insertion opening, a card insertion opening, a display screen, and a set of data entry keys located thereon. Bill examination, card examination, and advanced vending machine features such as data retrieval, reprogramming, card revaluation, smart message displays, and control operations are provided through programming of the processor portion.

Integrated credit/information exchange module

This optical scanner for testing the validity of a bill transported through a bill validator includes lower and upper members spaced to allow a bill to pass therebetween, at least one member including a light transmissive area. A light emitting element is arranged to direct light through the light transmissive area and a light receiving sensor is arranged to receive light from the light emitting element during passage of bill (B) therebetween. The light transmissive area includes a recessed portion to provide non-contact face portions of the light transmissive area spaced from the bill to preclude the transfer and build-up of dirt and abrasion of these areas.

Light transmissive device for optical testing of transported bills

A circuit which includes a primary power source, a reserve power source, switch means, a first diode, a second diode, and processing means selectively provide power to each of the lock actuator and the processing means from either the primary power source or the reserve power source. The reserve power source is connected between ground and the lock actuator and the switch means is connected between the reserve power source and the lock actuator. The first diode is connected between the reserve power source and the switch means and the second diode is operatively connected between the primary power source and the switch means such that a cathode of the second diode is connected between the first diode and the switch means. The processing means includes a first input operatively connected between the switch means and the lock actuator. A voltage level of the primary power source may be selected sufficiently greater than a voltage level of the reserve power source such that the first diode remains OFF if the switch means is closed and both voltage levels are present at the respective power sources.

Control circuit for selectively providing electrical energy to an

This credit card reader (10) with a liquid diverting system (50, 52) includes a reader housing having lower and upper housing portions (12) and (14) and having an outwardly disposed entry portion (36, 46) defining an opening leading to a credit card enclosure (16) retained within the housing and having an opening 70. The liquid diverting system (50, 52) includes a movable member (50) movable from a first position blocking the enclosure (16) and providing drainage, to a second, flexed position permitting entry of a credit card (SC) into the enclosure (16).

Smart card reader with liquid diverter system

An electrically controllable locking device includes a lock stud having at least one groove formed thereon. A motor assembly having a rotatable shaft extending therefrom is provided with a cam member mounted on the motor assembly shaft. The cam member includes a cam surface with a slot formed therealong. A latch member has a first portion which is biased toward the lock stud and engages the lock stud groove when the locking device is in a locked arrangement. The latch member also has a second portion which is biased toward the cam member and is positioned to contact at least a portion of the cam surface during rotation of the cam member. In one embodiment, the lock stud is a lock barrel of a T-handle lock assembly.

Electrically controllable locking device for vending machines and the

A mechanism for mounting on a vending control device used for paying back change to a customer for a deposit in excess of the amount of a selected vend including a coin storage device located at a higher elevation than the payback coin tube, the coin storage device when energized releasing one or more coins from the bottom end thereof when it is determined that the number of coins available in the payback coin tube is less than the amount needed for a payback, and a passageway communicating the lower end of the coin storage device with the upper end of the payback coin tube for guiding coins released from the coin storage device to move into the payback coin tube.

Means for producing enhanced coin payout capacity in vending machine

A device for sensing predetermined characteristics of an object such as a coin in order to determine the validity or genuineness of the coin and in some cases also the size and/or denomination of the coin, the device including a combination of optical sensors and an associated electro-magnetic sensors which operate together to expose the coin in different positions to the field produced by the electro-magnetic sensors so that if there are variations in the coin such as variations in the materials from with the coin is made these can be sensed and used to determine the coin's validity.

A device and method for controlling change payout from a plurality of coin tubes of a vending machine, each of which plurality of coin tubes has a particular coin type stored therein, including a processor for processing data and controlling vend operations, and coin level sensors for indicating the level of coins stored in each of the plurality of coin tubes, the processor programmed to determine the amount of change payback and whether one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied, including whether a first payout routine has been disabled, and if the first payout routine has been disabled, to execute a global payout routine which includes steps to effect an attempt to payout one coin only from a full coin tube, and steps to effect, if a coin is not paid out from a full coin tube, an attempt to payout one coin from a coin tube storing a coin denomination which cannot be evenly divided into the next highest coin denomination stored in one of the plurality of coin tubes.

Global coin payout method and control apparatus

The present invention relates, in one form thereof, to making a coin payout from a vending machine having a processor for processing data and a plurality of coin tubes for storing coins, each coin tube having one coin denomination type stored therein. The machine further includes coin counter, coupled to the coin tubes and to the processor, for determining when a coin is deposited in each coin tube and when a coin is removed from each coin tube. In one form of the present invention, the processor is programmed to determine whether certain conditions are satisfied for a particular vend and, if such conditions are satisfied, paying out at least one coin selected on the basis of predetermined criteria.

Growing community of inventors

Chesterfield, MO, United States of America

Joseph L Levasseur