US4493103A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus
Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 1982-04-23
•
Granted: 1985-01-08
•
Expires: 2002-04-23
Abstract
Abstract An automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus includes a vehicle-type identification unit for identifying the type of each oncoming vehicle, a toll-ticket issuing unit installed ahead of the identification unit along the vehicle path, and a vehicle-start detector installed farther ahead of the issuing unit. The toll-ticket issuing unit has a plurality of toll-ticket issuing slots open at different heights, and it holds a stack of new, unused toll tickets. Further, the issuing unit can feed the tickets one by one out of a hopper, and it can record the vehicle-type information, interchange number, and other necessary information on each ticket being fed. The recorded tickets are sequentially transported each to an issuing slot at the height determined in response to the vehicle-type information from the vehicle-type identification unit, and any ticket left unpulled from any issuing slot by any driver can be retrieved in response to vehicle passage information.
Inventors
- 👤 Riichiro Yamashita
- 👤 Osamu Satonishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:48
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B15/00; G07B15/06; G04; G04B; G04B15/00; G04B15/02; G07B1/00; G07B1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
An automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus for location along a path of movement of vehicles in the forward direction comprises a vehicle-type identification unit for identifying the type of each oncoming vehicle, a toll-ticket issuing unit installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from the identification unit, and a vehicle-start detector installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from the issuing unit, said toll-ticket issuing unit comprising a plurality of toll-ticket issuing slots open at different heights, means for holding a stack of new, unused toll tickets including a hopper, means for feeding the tickets one by one out of the hopper, means for recording the vehicle-type information, interchange number, and other necessary information on each ticket being fed, conveying means for sequentially transporting recorded tickets, each to an issuing slot at the height determined in response to the vehicle-type information from the vehicle-type identification unit, and means for retrieving and storing any ticket left unpulled from any issuing slot by any driver, in response to vehicle passage information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
An automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus for location along a path of movement of vehicles in the forward direction comprises a vehicle-type identification unit for identifying the type of each oncoming vehicle, a toll-ticket issuing unit installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from the identification unit, and a vehicle-start detector installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from the issuing unit, said toll-ticket issuing unit comprising a plurality of toll-ticket issuing slots open at different heights, means for holding a stack of new, unused toll tickets including a hopper, means for feeding the tickets one by one out of the hopper, means for recording the vehicle-type information, interchange number, and other necessary information on each ticket being fed, conveying means for sequentially transporting recorded tickets, each to an issuing slot at the height determined in response to the vehicle-type information from the vehicle-type identification unit, and means for retrieving and storing any ticket left unpulled from any issuing slot by any driver, in response to vehicle passage information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said toll-ticket issuing unit further comprises a primary standby mechanism for temporarily holding each of the toll tickets being fed, in succession, from said means holding new, unused tickets, and a secondary standby mechanism for temporarily holding a recorded ticket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
182 words
An automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus for location along a path of movement of vehicles in the forward direction comprises a vehicle-type identification unit for identifying the type of each oncoming vehicle, a toll-ticket issuing unit installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from said identification unit, and a vehicle-start detector installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from said issuing unit, said toll-ticket issuing unit comprising a plurality of toll-ticket issuing slots open at different heights, means for holding a stack of new, unused toll tickets including a hopper, means for feeding the tickets one by one out of the hopper, means for recording the vehicle-type information, interchange number, and other necessary information on each ticket being fed, means for retrieving tickets with errors recorded thereon or with other defects, conveying means for sequentially tansporting recorded tickets, each to an issuing slot at the height determined in response to the vehicle-type information from the vehicle-type identification unit, and means for retrieving and storing any ticket left unpulled from any issuing slot by any driver, in response to vehicle passage information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
182 words
An automatic toll-ticket issuing apparatus for location along a path of movement of vehicles in the forward direction comprises a vehicle-type identification unit for identifying the type of each oncoming vehicle, a toll-ticket issuing unit installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from said identification unit, and a vehicle-start detector installed downstream along the vehicle path of movement from said issuing unit, said toll-ticket issuing unit comprising a plurality of toll-ticket issuing slots open at different heights, means for holding a stack of new, unused toll tickets including a hopper, means for feeding the tickets one by one out of the hopper, means for recording the vehicle-type information, interchange number, and other necessary information on each ticket being fed, means for retrieving tickets with errors recorded thereon or with other defects, conveying means for sequentially tansporting recorded tickets, each to an issuing slot at the height determined in response to the vehicle-type information from the vehicle-type identification unit, and means for retrieving and storing any ticket left unpulled from any issuing slot by any driver, in response to vehicle passage information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, in which, adjacent to each ticket-issuing slot, there is provided a temporary holding mechanism for temporarily holding the ticket conveyed thereto.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 1 2 or 3, in which said toll-ticket issuing unit further comprises a control system for controlling said means and mechanisms, said control system in turn comprising a vehicle-type memory part for storing the vehicle-type signals transmitted from said vehicle-type identification unit in the order of arrival of the vehicles, a conveying control part for primarily controlling the system for conveying the tickets, an information control part for primarily controlling magnetic recording and printing of the tickets, and a central control part connected with said vehicle-type memory part, conveying control part, information control part, and vehicle-start detector to control the transmission and receipt of signals among said parts and make logical decisions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, in which said toll-ticket issuing unit further comprises a control system for controlling said means and mechanisms, said control system in turn comprising a vehicle-type memory part for storing the vehicle-type signals transmitted from said vehicle-type identification unit in the order of arrival of the vehicles, a conveying control part for primarily controlling the system for conveying the tickets, an information control part for primarily controlling magnetic recording and printing of the tickets, and a central control part connected with said vehicle-type memory part, conveying control part, information control part, and vehicle-start detector to control the transmission and receipt of signals among said parts and make logical decisions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2769165A
Cited
US3705976A
Cited
US3794966A
Cited
JPS5111940A
Cited
JPS53123315A
Cited
US4288688A
Cited
US4303904A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-08 | 1988-07-09 | 1989-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-08 | 1992-07-09 | 1993-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-01-08 | 1996-07-09 | 1997-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |