Banknote Sensor Spacing Adjustment During Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Banknote processing machines face contamination issues during cleaning, as compressed air used to remove dirt can also dislodge and redeposit dust and debris from moving parts onto sensor devices, leading to new contamination.

Innovation Solution

A control device is implemented to increase the distance between the transport device and the sensor device during cleaning, ensuring that compressed air flows along the sensor device without impacting nearby moving parts, preventing dirt loosening and redeposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If compressed air is used to clean the sensor device, then dirt is removed from the sensor surface, but new contamination is caused by dislodging and redepositing dust from moving parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor cleanlinessVSAvoidnew contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The transport device is activated before and during the cleaning process to continuously move banknotes through the cleaning zone. This preliminary action of启动ing the transport device ensures that dust is constantly being carried away from the sensor area rather than accumulating and being redeposited by the compressed air cleaning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning process is integrated into the continuous operation of the banknote transport system. The transport device runs continuously during cleaning, maintaining a constant flow that prevents dust accumulation and redeposition, while the cleaning device operates in sync with this continuous motion to remove dirt without causing new contamination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the distance between transport device and sensor device is increased during cleaning, then new contamination is prevented, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenew contaminationVSAvoiddistance adjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The distance between the transport device and sensor device is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The adjustment mechanism allows the spacing to be changed on-demand during cleaning operations, enabling the system to adapt to different operational requirements without permanent structural modifications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical parameter of distance between components is changed during operation. By adjusting the spacing between the transport device and sensor device when needed, the system prevents contamination without requiring complete redesign of the structural layout, maintaining simplicity while enabling protective functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively prevents new contamination by isolating the sensor device from dirt dislodged by the transport device during cleaning, maintaining sensor cleanliness and reducing maintenance-related contamination risks.

Implementation Method 1

the cleaning device for cleaning the sensor devices direction generates a gas flow along the sensor device or the transparent area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow:

Data Source

PatentEP2740107B1Sensor device in a banknote processing machine
Publication Date: 2019.05.01 GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
  • EP2740107B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2740107B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a sensor device in a banknote processing machine. The invention is based upon a sensor device in a banknote processing machine, comprising a transport device by means of which banknotes to be processed are transported past the sensor device, a cleaning device that cleans the sensor device or a transparent region of the sensor device, and a control device that controls the components of the banknote processing machine, comprising means for enlarging the spacing between the transport device and the sensor device, wherein the control device controls the means and the cleaning device in such a way that the spacing between the transport device and the sensor device is enlarged by said means while the cleaning device cleans the sensor device.