Coin Sorting Machine Overflow Path Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coin sorting machines either interrupt the sorting process or reduce performance when a sorting container reaches capacity, as they either stop operating or reroute coins back to the input, leading to inefficiencies and interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A coin sorting machine with a control device that switches between sorting and overflow states, allowing coins to be redirected to alternate overflow outlets, ensuring continuous operation and preventing performance reduction by maintaining an available overflow path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the sorting process is interrupted when a sorting container reaches capacity, then the machine can be maintained and containers exchanged, but the sorting process stops and no more coins can be sorted during this time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the overflow handling into multiple independent overflow bins (first overflow bin, second overflow bin) that can be independently filled and exchanged. This segmentation allows one bin to be serviced while the other continues to receive coins, maintaining continuous operation and preventing productivity loss during container exchange
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple overflow bins into a single overflow handling system, where the first and second overflow bins work together to provide continuous overflow capacity. This merging ensures that while one bin is being filled or exchanged, the other maintains the overflow function, resolving the contradiction between ease of maintenance and productivity
2Productivity
If coins are automatically returned to the entrance when the sorting container is full, then the sorting process continues, but the performance of the coin sorting machine is reduced since these coins cannot be processed until the corresponding sorting container has been changed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the overflow coins from the main sorting cycle and directs them to dedicated overflow bins instead of returning them to the entrance. This extraction separates the overflow handling from the primary sorting function, allowing coins to be stored in overflow bins without delaying their eventual processing, thus eliminating reprocessing delay while maintaining continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow bins serve as intermediary storage between the sorting process and final coin disposition. Coins that overflow from full sorting containers are stored in these intermediate bins rather than being immediately reprocessed or discarded, allowing the sorting machine to maintain continuous operation without time loss from reprocessing delays
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a coin sorting machine (1) and a method for sorting coins (5). To sort coins with as little interruption as possible and with a high coin throughput, the invention provides a coin sorting machine (1) for sorting coins (5), comprising at least one sorting path (7) terminating at a sorting output (9), at least one holder for and/or a supply line to a sorting container (17) at the sorting output (9), at least one overflow path (45) that can be switched to terminate at at least two overflow outputs (27, 29), at least one holder for and/or a supply line to an overflow container at each of the overflow outputs (27, 29), and at least one control device that has an input for a fill level signal (F) representing the fill level of the at least one sorting container.wherein the coin sorting machine (1) is designed to be switchable from a sorting state to an overflow state depending on the fill level signal (F), wherein in the sorting state recognized coins (5) of a defined coin type are guided along the sorting path (7) and in the overflow state the coins (5) of this coin type are guided along the overflow path (45), and wherein after a switch from the overflow state to the sorting state the at least one overflow path (45) is switched from one overflow output (27, 29) to the other overflow output (27, 29).