Card Sorting Device Segmented Conveyor Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorting devices for playing cards are bulky and slow due to the need for a common conveyor track that requires significant movement of receiving bins to sort cards, and prior solutions involving rotational input bins are also inefficient due to repeated rotational movements.
Innovation Solution
The sorting device features extended conveyor tracks with receiving bins at each end and detection within the input bin, allowing cards to be discharged in opposite directions, and includes rotatable upper receiving bins and ejection mechanisms to ensure cards are oriented correctly and easily removable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a common conveyor track is used to transport cards to receiving bins, then all cards can be transported sequentially, but the receiving bins must be moved up or down over a considerable distance, making the device voluminous and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The single common conveyor track is segmented into multiple separate conveyor tracks (at least two, preferably four), each serving a specific receiving bin. This segmentation eliminates the need for large vertical movements of receiving bins while maintaining sequential card transport capability, thereby reducing device volume and increasing sorting speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single vertical dimension conveyor system to a multi-dimensional arrangement with conveyor tracks extending in opposite directions from the input bin. Receiving bins are positioned at different locations along these tracks rather than requiring vertical movement, effectively utilizing spatial distribution to reduce device volume and improve speed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the input bin is rotated repeatedly to discard cards in different receiving bins, then cards can be sorted to multiple bins, but the sorting process lasts relatively long
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating a single input bin to serve multiple directions, the system segments the card discharge into multiple independent conveyor tracks extending in opposite directions. Each track independently transports cards to its designated receiving bin, eliminating rotational delays and enabling simultaneous multi-directional card distribution, thus improving both adaptability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor tracks are pre-positioned in opposite directions from the input bin, with receiving bins already located at the appropriate destinations. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for repeated rotational adjustments during the sorting process, allowing cards to be immediately directed to the correct bins as they are discharged, thereby increasing sorting throughput.
3Adaptability or versatility
If receiving bins are disposed on top of each other and adjusted in height, then cards can be selectively received, but the bins must be moved over considerable distance, rendering the device slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the height adjustment mechanism from the receiving bins themselves and replaces it with fixed conveyor tracks at different elevations. Cards are transported to the appropriate elevation level through the conveyor system rather than moving the receiving bins vertically, thereby maintaining card selection capability while eliminating slow bin adjustment movements and improving sorting speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical height adjustment system for receiving bins is replaced with a conveyor-based transport system that delivers cards to fixed receiving bins at different positions. This substitution eliminates the need for repeated vertical movement of receiving bins, maintaining versatility in card routing while significantly improving operational speed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is related to a sorting device for sorting a stack of playing cards laid in an input bin (3) in four stacks and removing them at the four cardinal points of the sorting device. At either side of the input bin (3), the sorting device has two receiving bins disposed on top of each other (25, 26 and 27, 28 respectively), of which the upper receiving bins (26, 28) are adjustable in height in order to selectively deposit playing cards in the lower receiving bins (25, 27) or upper receiving bins (26, 28) (Figure 2). The upper receiving bins (26, 28) are disposed on a rotatable subframe (30) that, after sorting, is rotatable for a quarter of a turn in order to bring the upper receiving bins (26, 28) into a removal position in which the playing cards can be removed at the four cardinal points. At the four removal positions, doors (5) are present that open automatically and through which ejector pins then move the playing cards outside.