Drum Storage Module Parallel Light Beam Filling Level Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drum storage modules fail to reliably detect the maximum filling level due to wavy notes of value bending inward, causing light beam interruption issues and resulting in inaccuracies from long tolerance chains during measurement.
Innovation Solution
The light source and light receiver are arranged with a beam path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the winding drum, ensuring consistent interruption at maximum filling, minimizing tolerance chains, and allowing for accurate detection of both reaching and leaving the maximum filling level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the light source and light receiver are arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the winding drum, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates because wavy notes of value bending inward do not interrupt the light beam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the light beam from orthogonal to the longitudinal axis to parallel with the longitudinal axis. This dimensional reorientation allows the light beam to traverse the full length of the drum, ensuring that even wavy or bent notes of value will interrupt the beam when the drum is full, thereby solving the measurement precision problem without significantly increasing device complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the light source and light receiver are mounted on the lid via rails, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to long tolerance chains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light source and light receiver from the lid mounting structure and relocates them to the housing walls. This removes them from the long tolerance chain created by the rail mounting system, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through direct wall mounting.
3Area of stationary object
If the beam path is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis, then the area occupied by the sensor is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the light beam is not interrupted by wavy notes of value
Solution Approach 1:
By reorienting the light beam to run parallel to the longitudinal axis rather than orthogonal to it, the patent ensures that the beam traverses the maximum distance through the drum interior. This dimensional change increases the probability that wavy or bent notes of value will intersect the beam path, thereby improving detection reliability.
4Measurement precision
If the beam path extends over the entire length of the winding drum, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to longer optical paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves the extended beam path by orienting it parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum, which is a natural dimension of the drum's geometry. This approach extends the optical path length without requiring complex additional structures, as the light simply travels along the drum's length from one wall to the other.
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
This configuration enables reliable detection of the maximum filling level, independent of note shape, with reduced variance and increased accuracy, ensuring efficient filling and unfilling of the drum storage module.
Implementation Method 1
The light source and the light receiver are arranged such that the beam path along which the light beam emitted by the light source extends to the light receiver is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the winding drum
Data Source
AI summary
A drum storage module (50, 60) for receiving notes of value (16) has a winding drum (14) onto which the notes of value (16) are windable so as to be received between at least two foil belts (18 to 24). Further, a sensor for determining the maximum filling level of notes of value in the drum storage module (50, 60) is provided and has a light source (32) and a light receiver (34) arranged such that the beam path (36) from the light source (32) to the light receiver (34) extends parallel to the longitudinal axis (38) of the winding drum (14).