Coin Transporting Belt With Variable Contact Width
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coin handling machines face challenges in transporting coins with large diameter differences due to the design of toothed belts, which often require dedicated belts and can lead to unstable coin transport, especially when the diameter difference between coin denominations is significant.
Innovation Solution
A coin transporting belt with a contact portion that extends wider than the attachment portion, allowing for a planar, comb-like, or oval contact surface to securely engage coins, ensuring stable transport by adjusting the width to accommodate the largest and smallest coin diameters, and allowing the attachment portion to grip the belt unit for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a toothed belt with teeth on both surfaces is used for engagement member attachment, then the engagement member can be securely attached, but a dedicated toothed belt is required, increasing device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the engagement member attachment mechanism to work with standard single-sided toothed belts rather than requiring dedicated dual-sided toothed belts. The attachment portion is configured to engage with the teeth on one surface of the belt unit, making the system compatible with general-purpose toothed belts and eliminating the need for specialized belt configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the contact portion is positioned near the center line for small diameter coins, then small coins can be transported, but large diameter coins cannot be properly engaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the contact portion width adjustable or variable rather than fixed. The contact portion width can be changed according to the coin diameter being handled, allowing the same engagement member to reliably transport coins of different sizes by adapting its contact width to match the specific coin denomination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the contact portion width parameter to accommodate different coin diameters. The width of the contact portion is specifically designed to be adjustable or variable, allowing optimization of the contact width parameter for each coin size to ensure reliable engagement and transport stability across different denominations.
3Ease of manufacture
If the contact portion is circular in shape, then the engagement member is simple to manufacture, but coins with large diameter differences cannot be transported stably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the contact portion into multiple segments or sections along its width. This segmented structure allows different portions of the contact portion to engage with coins of different diameters, providing stable transport for various coin sizes while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process compared to fully custom-shaped contact portions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the contact portion pushes coins obliquely for large diameter coins, then large coins can be engaged, but coins fail to transport along the transport path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the contact portion with an asymmetric width configuration relative to the engagement member. The contact portion width is specifically optimized to create the correct pushing angle for different coin diameters, ensuring that even large diameter coins are pushed along the transport path rather than obliquely, while maintaining adaptability across coin sizes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A coin transporting belt comprises a toothed belt with teeth formed on both surfaces of a belt unit, and an engagement member for engaging and transporting a coin attached to the toothed belt. The engagement member comprises : an attachment portion attached to the toothed belt; and a contact portion formed into a linear shape extending in a direction perpendicular to a long-edge direction of the toothed belt. The contact portion is to contact the coin.