Credit pulse generating system for vending machines

Claim 2

A credit pulse generating system for a vending machine comprising: a plurality of mechanically deformable converters, each of said deformable converters representing a particular credit indicator; mounting means supporting each of said deformable converters in a given position, said mounting means comprising: a mounting wall for each type of credit indicator; a pair of restraining devices on each of said mounting walls, the deformable converter for that credit indicator located therebetween; a plurality of blocks of conducting material, each of said blocks extending across an associated pair of said restraining devices on one side thereof; and a plurality of strips of flexible conducting material, each of said strips extending across an associated pair of said restraining devices on the other side thereof to retain the corresponding deformable converter between said restraining devices and against the associated block of conducting material and to provide said striking surface for deposited credit indicators; direCting means causing each credit indicator deposited in the vending machine to stress the deformable converter representing that particular credit indicator, said stress of each of said deformable converters being a compressive force occasioned by the associated credit indicator impinging upon a striking surface to compress that deformable converter; and electrical means for detecting and transmitting signals generated by distortion of said mechanically deformable converters upon stress thereof from transfer of kinetic energy from the associated credit indicators thereto.

Claim 3

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mechanically deformable converters are piezoelectric crystals.

Claim 4

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said restraining devices are mounting pins.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said strips of flexible conducting material is positioned at an angle to the line of motion of said credit indicators in order to prevent said credit indicators from striking said deformable converters more than once.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a projection formed on each of said strips of flexible conducting material to engage the corresponding deformable converter.

Claim 7

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electrical means comprise said blocks of conducting material and said strips of flexible conducting material.

Claim 8

A system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: a positioning projection for each of said strips of flexible conducting material; and a second plurality of blocks of conducting material, each of said blocks having a groove formed therein.

Claim 9

A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein: each of said strips of flexible conducting material has a transverse projection formed on one end thereof; and each of said directing means comprises a guide member having one end thereof located in proximity to said positioning projection, whereby forcing said strip of flexible conducting material between said positioning projection and said end of said guide member distorts said strip, causing said transverse projection thereof to engage said groove of an associated one of said second plurality of blocks of conducting material and causing the other end thereof to forcibly engage the associated deformable converter.

Claim 10

A system as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising a terminal located on each block of conducting material, whereby the electrical signal produced by a credit indicator striking a deformable converter appears between terminals on an associated one of said plurality of blocks of conducting material and on an associated one of said second plurality of blocks of conducting material.

Claim 11

A credit pulse generating system for a vending machine comprising: an end wall and a plurality of mounting walls, said walls being placed in proximity to form a plurality of compartments therebetween, each type of credit indicator deposited in the vending machine having a separate compartment representative thereof; each of said compartments comprising: a pair of mounting members on said mounting wall; a first block of conducting material rigidly mounted on said mounting wall, said first block being located beneath and extending across said pair of mounting members; a mechanically deformable converter positioned between said pair of mounting members and on top of said first block of conducting material; a strip of yieldable conducting material having a portion at one end extending transversely to the length of said strip; a second block of conducting material mounted on supporting pins protruding from said mounting wall and having a groove therein adapted to receive said portion of said flexible strip; directing means including a pair of guide members for directing a deposited credit indicator toward said deformable converter; a positioning projection, the end of one of said guide members being located such that when said flexiblE strip is forced between said positioning projection and said one guide member said strip is distorted with said portion thereof forced into said groove in said second block and the other end thereof forced against said deformable converter; and a terminal connected to each of said first block and said second block to detect an electrical signal produced by a credit indicator striking said flexible strip immediately above said deformable converter.

Claim 12

A credit pulse generating system for a vending machine comprising: an end wall and a plurality of mounting walls, said walls being placed in proximity to form a plurality of compartments therebetween, each type of credit indicator deposited in the vending machine having a separate compartment representative thereof; each of said compartments comprising: a pair of mounting members on said mounting wall; a first block of conducting material rigidly mounted on said mounting wall, said first block being located beneath and extending across said pair of mounting members; a mechanically deformable converter positioned between said pair of mounting members and on top of said first block of conducting material; a strip of yieldable conducting material having a portion at one end extending transversely to the length of said strip; a second block of conducting material mounted on supporting pins protruding from said mounting wall and having a groove therein adapted to receive said portion of said flexible strip; directing means including a pair of guide members for directing a deposited credit indicator toward said deformable converter; a positioning projection, the end of one of said guide members being located such that when said flexiblE strip is forced between said positioning projection and said one guide member said strip is distorted with said portion thereof forced into said groove in said second block and the other end thereof forced against said deformable converter; and a terminal connected to each of said first block and said second block to detect an electrical signal produced by a credit indicator striking said flexible strip immediately above said deformable converter.

Claim 13

A system as claimed in claim 11 and further comprising indexing tabs located on each of said walls to permit verification that said walls are placed in the proper relative positions.

Claim 14

A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said credit indicators are coins.

Claim 15

A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said deformable converter is a piezoelectric crystal.