Cleated Dispensing Belt for Jam-Free Condiment Packet Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing condiment dispensing assemblies in food vending machines face issues with packet jamming due to irregular shapes, sizes, or flexibility of condiment packets, leading to dispensing failures.
Innovation Solution
A condiment dispensing device featuring a hollow housing with a drive assembly and a cleated dispensing belt, where the dispensing belt is tensioned around drive gears and has cleats and teeth to guide and stop condiment packets at precise positions for efficient dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional condiment packets with irregular shapes, sizes or flexibility are used, then condiment storage and delivery are enabled, but packet jamming occurs causing dispensing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing belt is made of flexible material that can conform to various packet shapes while maintaining tension to prevent jamming. The flexibility allows the belt to adapt to irregular packet geometries without causing mechanical interference or stalling.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing belt is divided into multiple discrete slots separated by cleats, with each slot individually accommodating one condiment packet. This segmentation isolates each packet in its own compartment, preventing packets from interfering with each other and eliminating jamming between adjacent packets.
2Adaptability or versatility
If condiment packets with varying flexibility are used, then storage versatility is improved, but misalignment during loading occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible dispensing belt can adapt to packets of varying flexibility while maintaining consistent positioning through its tensioned structure and standardized slot geometry, ensuring precise alignment regardless of packet properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing belt is pre-tensioned and pre-positioned with clearly defined slots and cleats before packet loading. This preliminary setup creates predetermined alignment references that guide packet placement and ensure correct positioning during the loading process.
3Device complexity
If a simple dispensing mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but dispensing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing belt includes more structural features than minimally required (cleats, teeth, tensioning elements) to achieve precise packet positioning. These additional elements provide multiple reference points and mechanical guides that enhance positioning accuracy without requiring complex control systems.
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
The device ensures efficient and jam-free dispensing of condiment packets to the correct position, allowing them to be easily delivered to the customer pick-up port.
Implementation Method 1
a gear motor configured to cause the drive gear of the upper gear sub-assembly to rotate via the timing belt
Implementation Method 2
The gear motor is configured to cause the drive gear of the upper gear sub-assembly to rotate via the timing belt
Data Source
AI summary
A condiment dispensing device is provided, which comprises a hollow housing removably mounted to a vertical mounting surface (e.g., of a food vending machine) and comprising a bottom opening. The housing accommodates a drive assembly and a dispensing belt. The drive assembly comprises two (upper and lower) gear sub-assemblies each comprising a shaft and a drive gear mounted thereon. The drive gear of the upper gear sub-assembly rotates via a timing belt driven by the gear motor. The dispensing belt is tensioned around the drive gears, and its outer surface has cleats, wherein each two adjacent cleats, together with the belt outer surface and the housing inner surface, a slot for a condiment packet. The drive gear of the lower gear sub-assembly is formed by tooth and star gears configured to jointly stop the dispensing belt each time at a position in which the opening is aligned with the slot.