Floating Circuit Board Configuration for Lottery Ticket Dispenser Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reliability and integrity of power/data connections between individual bins in interconnected lottery ticket dispenser arrays are compromised due to manufacturing tolerances and relative movement, leading to potential disconnection and inoperability, especially in bins closer to the top of the array.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of rigidly interconnected circuit boards with complimentary electronic connectors that allow for a defined degree of movement, providing a relative 'float' between the circuit boards and their housings, which compensates for size variations and misalignment, ensuring stable connections and preventing disconnection during operational movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If bins are interconnected with rigid power/data connectors, then structural stability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to stress from manufacturing tolerances and relative movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) instead of rigid connectors to connect the bins. The FPC can bend and deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and relative movement between bins, maintaining electrical connection reliability while allowing structural flexibility. This directly resolves the contradiction by replacing rigid connectors with a flexible circuit board that can absorb stress without disconnection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the connector from rigid to flexible by using a flexible printed circuit board. This parameter change allows the connector to adapt to dimensional variations and movement, maintaining both structural stability and connection reliability simultaneously.
2Ease of manufacture
If connectors are placed under stress to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible printed circuit board can naturally accommodate manufacturing tolerances through its flexibility, eliminating the need for precision alignment and stress-bearing rigid connections. This improves ease of manufacture while maintaining connection integrity, as the FPC can bend to fit variations without risking disconnection.
3Device complexity
If bins are vertically stacked with interconnected base structures, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to cumulative stress on connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible printed circuit board eliminates the need for complex rigid connector assemblies with multiple alignment features. The FPC's inherent flexibility simplifies the interconnection design while reliably accommodating the cumulative stress and movement that occurs in vertically stacked configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the connector system, allowing it to adapt to the cumulative stress and movement in vertically stacked bins. The FPC can deform dynamically to maintain connection reliability, unlike static rigid connectors that would fail under cumulative stress.
Data Source
AI summary
A lottery ticket dispenser array includes a plurality of separate bins, each bin having a housing with a back side. A circuit board fixed to the back side of the housing to supply power and control functions to the bin. The circuit boards of adjacent bins are rigidly interconnected via complimentary electronic connectors. At each bin, the circuit board is mounted to the back side of the housing with a defined relative degree of movement between the circuit board and the housing in at least a first direction. The rigidly interconnected circuit boards define a rigid structure and one or more of the bins are movable relative to the rigid structure such that the array absorbs misalignment, movement, and size variations between the bins without disconnection of the electronic connectors between the bins.