Coin Singulating Guide Surface and Transfer Rail Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for separating and forcibly conveying disc-shaped objects, such as coins, experience issues with wobbling and unsteady movement, leading to potential falling and jamming, which limits processing speed and causes wear on transfer rails, and are prone to pin breakage due to design limitations.

Innovation Solution

A device with a guide element featuring an inclined guide surface and a removal surface, a carrier disk with receiving holes, and a transfer rail with a rolling surface and push elements, where the gap between the driving disk and guide surface is narrow enough to prevent objects from getting caught, and the transfer section includes a depression to slow down objects, ensuring smooth and reliable conveyance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If drive pins are used to abruptly accelerate coins on the transfer rail, then processing speed is improved, but coins wobble and move erratically causing them to fall off the rail and block or damage device parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidstable coin movement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A curved guide surface is introduced as an intermediary element between the drive disc and the transfer rail. This guide surface gradually transitions coins from the drive disc to the transfer rail, mediating the acceleration process to prevent abrupt movements that cause wobbling and falling off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The curved guide surface performs preliminary guidance and gradual acceleration of coins before they reach the transfer rail. By preparing the coins' movement trajectory in advance on the curved surface, the system prevents erratic movement and falling off during the transfer process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If drive pins are used to accelerate coins, then coins are conveyed faster, but severe wear occurs in the area of the transfer rail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveying speedVSAvoidtransfer rail service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The curved guide surface is designed with a specific curvature that dynamically adapts to the coin's movement. This dynamic geometric design allows for smooth, gradual acceleration that reduces impact forces and friction on the transfer rail, thereby extending its service life while maintaining conveying speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If two circular grooves are formed in the guide surface for drive pins, then drive pins can move, but small coins penetrate these grooves laterally and block the drive disc

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive pin movementVSAvoidsmall coin handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful circular grooves that caused small coins to penetrate laterally are completely removed from the guide surface. Instead, a continuous curved guide surface is used that provides drive pin movement functionality without creating lateral penetration paths for small coins, thus eliminating the blockage problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Use of energy by moving object

If the gap between drive disc and guide surface is wide, then friction is reduced, but objects can get trapped between the drive disc and guide element

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefriction lossVSAvoidobject entrapment prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gap width between the drive disc and guide surface is optimized to a specific parameter range that balances friction reduction with entrapment prevention. By carefully controlling this dimensional parameter, the system achieves low friction operation while maintaining reliable object handling without entrapment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution ensures smooth running and increased processing speed with reduced risk of objects falling off or getting jammed, minimizing wear and preventing pin breakage, allowing for reliable handling of both large and small coins.

Implementation Method 1

a guide element (4) having a guide surface (3) lying in an inclined plane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the upper side of which forms a rolling surface (26) for the objects (1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling friction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3506219B1Device and method for separating and forced movement of disc-shaped articles, especially coins
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 PREMA GMBH
  • EP3506219B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3506219B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3506219B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device and method for singulating and force-feeding disc-shaped objects (1), in particular coins, comprising a singulating device (2) with a guide surface (3) lying in an inclined plane, to which a conveying surface (8) is connected, a conveying disc (10) having receiving holes (16), wherein the conveying surface (8) extends at an increasing distance from the conveying disc (10) in the conveying direction (W), a rail (20) whose upper surface forms a rolling surface (26) for the objects (1), and a conveying device (42) which is provided with push elements (46). As it rotates in a collection container (6), the conveying disc (10) picks up objects (1) in receiving holes (16) and conveys them to the conveying surface (8), where they roll onto the rolling surface (26) in the conveying direction (W).The push elements (46) reach the objects (1) in the system in a transfer section (22) of the rail (20) and push them in the direction of travel (W) in a processing section (24). The transfer section (22) has a depression (48), the rising part of which leads to the rolling surface (26) and slows down the objects (1) rolling on the rolling surface (26).