Coin Processing Apparatus with Screw Agitators for Tawara State Elimination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Coin processing machines face inefficiencies due to the 'Tawara state' and 'Keirin phenomenon' where coins stack or rotate on the conveying belt, leading to congestion and prolonged processing times, especially when additional coins are overlapped or placed upstream, causing malfunctions and operation efficiency degradation.
Innovation Solution
A coin processing apparatus with a conveying belt and coin pusher mechanism that engages coins in a lying state to push them forward, combined with screw-like members that rotate to move standing coins laterally, allowing them to topple and disperse, thereby eliminating congestion by engaging and moving coins towards an introducing port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a reversing roller is provided to restrict coin passage and enable transfer into the machine, then coin transfer is achieved, but coin congestion occurs in the form of Tawara state and Keirin phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
A coin agitating section is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the coin inlet and the reversing roller. This section includes a plurality of coin agitating members that actively disrupt the Tawara state and prevent the Keirin phenomenon by continuously agitating and redistributing coins, ensuring they are properly oriented and spaced before reaching the reversing roller, thus maintaining both transfer efficiency and conveyance reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The coin agitating members perform mechanical agitation movements to disrupt the stable but problematic Tawara state of stacked coins. By introducing controlled mechanical disturbance, the system prevents coins from settling into the Keirin phenomenon rotation pattern, ensuring reliable conveyance while maintaining productivity
2Quantity of substance
If coins are conveyed collectively in large numbers, then processing volume is increased, but Tawara state and Keirin phenomenon occur causing malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The coin agitating section serves as a mediator between bulk coin input and individual coin processing. It handles large quantities of coins by continuously agitating them to prevent Tawara state formation, ensuring that even when many coins are introduced collectively, they are properly distributed and oriented for efficient individual processing, thus maintaining high processing speed
Solution Approach 2:
The coin agitating members perform preliminary agitation and orientation actions on coins before they enter the main processing flow. This preliminary disruption of potential Tawara states and prevention of Keirin phenomena ensures that subsequent processing can proceed at maximum speed without malfunctions, even when large quantities of coins are processed
3Ease of operation
If the depositing belt moves forward and backward to eliminate Keirin phenomenon, then coin redistribution is attempted, but coins remain in standing state and cannot topple down
Solution Approach 1:
The coin agitating members act as intermediaries that directly interact with coins in the Tawara state, providing the necessary lateral forces and moments to initiate toppling. Rather than relying solely on belt movement, these members actively push and rotate coins to change their orientation, significantly reducing the time required for state transition while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The coin agitating members introduce mechanical disturbance and vibration to coins in the standing state, providing the energy needed to overcome the stable configuration of the Tawara state. This active agitation causes coins to topple down more quickly and reliably, reducing the time loss associated with state changes while keeping the system easy to operate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A coin processing apparatus eliminates quickly and surely a coin congestion in the cases where (a) a plurality of coins are closely aligned in their standing state on a conveying surface in the widthwise direction of the said belt so as to extend across the whole width of the said conveying surface, forming a shape like a single cylinder, and/or in the mentioned state they simply continue to rotate around their centers on the conveying surface while keeping their standing state and they are never turned into their lying state on the conveying surface, (b) additional coins are overlapped or stacked on existing coins having the state in (a), and (c) additional coins are placed on the conveying surface on the upstream side of the existing coins. A conveying belt has a protrusion on its conveying surface. A reversing roller is provided opposite to the conveying surface. Screw-like members with spiral projections on their outer surfaces are respectively provided at two sides of the conveying surface. Coins placed on the conveying surface in their standing state are moved backward due to engagement with the screw-like members to topple down naturally toward the conveying surface during conveyance and then, moved forward due to engagement with the protrusion.