Coin Hopper Eccentric Through Hole Prevents Bridging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional small coin hoppers face issues with dispensing all coins, including the last one, due to coin bridging and jamming, especially when dealing with large-diameter coins, and are costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A coin hopper design featuring a rotating disk with a crescent-shaped upper step and rugby-ball-shaped lower step, an eccentric through hole, and a conical peripheral surface to prevent coin bridging and jamming, allowing for efficient dispensing of all coins without increasing the disk's thickness, and can be produced at a lower cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the diameter of the rotating disk is made approximately two times the diameter of the coin with only one through hole, then the device size is reduced for space constraints, but coin bridging and jamming occur preventing complete dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating disk is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first region with a first inclination angle, a second region with a second inclination angle, and a third region with a third inclination angle. This segmentation allows different portions of the disk to perform different functions - guiding coins, preventing bridging, and ensuring complete dispensing - within a compact single-disk structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the rotating disk are given different local qualities through varying inclination angles. The first region has a gentler slope for initial coin guidance, the second region has a steeper slope to prevent coin bridging, and the third region has another specific angle for final dispensing. This local differentiation solves the reliability issue without increasing overall device size.
2Device complexity
If conventional flat or two-level rotating disks are used, then the structure is simple, but coin bridging occurs at the through hole preventing the last coin from dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating disk employs dynamic inclination angles rather than static flat or two-level surfaces. The continuous variation in inclination angle across the three regions creates dynamic coin movement patterns that prevent coins from stacking and bridging at the through hole, ensuring the last coin can also dispense reliably.
3Reliability
If the rotating disk thickness is increased to prevent coin jamming, then coin dispensing reliability improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the thickness parameter of the rotating disk, the invention changes the inclination angle parameter across different regions. This parameter substitution maintains manufacturing simplicity and low cost while achieving the reliability goal of preventing coin jamming through the optimized angular distribution that controls coin flow dynamics.
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 design ensures all coins, including the last one, are dispensed quickly and efficiently, preventing coin bridging and jamming, while being cost-effective to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
an inclined rotating disk is disposed thereat, and the coins are dropped one by one to the through hole while agitating the coins by rotation of the rotating disk
Implementation Method 2
the coins are dropped one by one to the through hole while agitating the coins by rotation of the rotating disk
Data Source
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AI summary
[Objective] A first object of the present invention is to provide a coin hopper which is a small coin hopper capable of dispensing all coins including the last one without generating coin bridging, a second obj ect is to provide a coin hopper preventing occurrence of coin jamming, and a third object is to provide a coin hopper at low cost, the coin hopper capable of dispensing all coins including the last one without causing coin jamming. [Means for Solution] A circular-plate-shaped rotating disk which dispenses coins is provided with an elliptical lower step part and a crescent-shaped upper step part disposed at an eccentric position, and a through hole having a diameter approximately half the diameter of the rotating disk is formed at an eccentric position of the lower step part. A first end part of an inward arc edge of the upper step part forms a tangent line with respect to the through hole. The coin standing on the lower step part of the rotating disk is flipped so that the lower part thereof is overthrown by the arc edge moved by the rotation of the rotating disk, and the coin falls down and drops to the through hole. The coin fell on the lower step part is caught by the arc edge; and, when the arc edge is inclined by a predetermined angle, the coin rolls on the arc edge and drops to the through hole.