Concave Coin Placement Surface for Self-Checkout Settlement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-checkout systems face inefficiencies in coin input processes, where customers need to manually collect and confirm coins before inputting them into the coin inserting slot, leading to increased operational time and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
A settlement apparatus with a coin inserting slot, a coin depositing/dispensing device, and a concaved money placement portion that allows customers to visually confirm and easily input coins, reducing the need for manual collection and improving operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If customers manually collect and confirm coins on a flat area before inputting them into the coin inserting slot, then they can verify the coins, but the operational time increases and the process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the coin verification area and coin input area into a single integrated money placement portion. The concaved shape creates a natural boundary that both displays coins for verification and guides them directly into the inserting slot, eliminating the need for separate collection and input steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The money placement portion uses a concaved (curved) shape instead of a flat surface. This curvature naturally guides coins toward the inserting slot while providing a contained area for verification, using geometric form to streamline the user action sequence.
2Ease of operation
If a flat area is provided for coin placement, then coins can be easily viewed, but coins may scatter and require manual collection again
Solution Approach 1:
The concaved shape of the money placement portion contains coins within a defined curved boundary, preventing scattering while maintaining visibility. The curvature creates natural guides that keep coins organized without requiring additional containment structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The money placement portion has a specific concaved geometry localized at the coin input area, creating different functional zones within the same surface - a contained verification area that naturally transitions to the inserting slot, rather than a uniform flat surface.
3Reliability
If customers need to collect coins manually before inputting, then verification is possible, but the number of operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concaved money placement portion is designed to automatically guide and position coins for insertion before the customer actually inputs them. The shape performs preliminary positioning work, so coins are already oriented correctly when reaching the inserting slot, reducing the number of corrective adjustments needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A settlement apparatus contains a case body; a coin inserting slot, provided at the case body, which receives a deposited coin; a coin depositing/dispensing device, provided in the case body, which stores the deposited coin received through the coin inserting slot and dispenses the stored coin; and a concaved shape money placement portion, arranged at the case body, which has a money placement surface on which the deposited coin which is received by the coin inserting slot is temporarily placed, wherein the money placement surface is connected to the coin inserting slot in a width direction of the case body and is formed flatly, and the money placement portion is arranged across a center of the case body in the width direction.