Credit Card Ejector with Break Coupling for Jam-Free Stack Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing card holders suffer from jamming issues during the ejection of card stacks, and there is a need for improved mechanisms that ensure easy, error-free handling, low production costs, and an attractive appearance while maintaining a robust and comfortable operation.
Innovation Solution
A card holder with a pivoting ejector arm featuring a stepped profile that engages cards at different edges, allowing simultaneous ejection of a complete stack in a staggered manner, combined with a dual ejector mechanism for normal and heavy-duty use, and a break coupling to prevent jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pivoting ejector arm with stepped profile is used to eject card stacks, then the cards can be simultaneously dispensed in a staggered manner, but the ejector arm may jam during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector arm is divided into two separate parts: a trigger portion and a barrel portion. The trigger portion pivots to engage the cards, while the barrel portion is movable relative to the trigger portion. This segmentation allows the barrel to move independently to prevent jamming while maintaining the stepped profile for simultaneous staggered ejection of the complete card stack.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel portion is made movable relative to the trigger portion through a coupling mechanism that allows controlled movement. This dynamic adjustment enables the barrel to shift position during the ejection process, preventing jamming of the ejector arm while preserving the ability to eject complete card stacks simultaneously in a staggered manner.
2Reliability
If the ejector arm is made robust to prevent jamming, then reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector arm is segmented into a trigger portion and a barrel portion that can move relative to each other. This segmentation provides a simple mechanical solution to prevent jamming without requiring complex control systems or multiple independent ejector mechanisms, thus maintaining relatively low device complexity while improving reliability.
3Reliability
If a break coupling is introduced to prevent jamming, then the ejector arm can avoid sticking, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the trigger portion and barrel portion is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the barrel to move relative to the trigger when needed to prevent sticking. This dynamic coupling provides a simple mechanical solution to avoid jamming without requiring complex control mechanisms, maintaining low device complexity while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a holder for cards, including a housing which tightly fits around a stack of cards and has a card opening for locating and removing cards. Within the housing a card eject feature is provided such that the cards through the card opening can be partly slid from the housing. The card eject feature has an ejector arm which is moved by operating a finger button and forces the cards simultaneously to partly exit the housing. The card eject feature includes a barrel for normal duty operation and a trigger for heavy duty operation to engage and force cards to partly exit the housing.