Horizontal Hopper Mechanism for Clean Coin Inlet Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Coin processing apparatuses face issues with coins or foreign objects entering or scattering around the inlet when the cover is opened, affecting usability.
Innovation Solution
A hopper moving mechanism with a translational motion, including a linkage and sliding mechanism, moves the hopper horizontally to expose or cover the taking-in unit, while maintaining a horizontal state to prevent coins or foreign objects from dropping or scattering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the hopper is opened to access the taking-in unit, then maintenance and operation accessibility is improved, but coins or foreign objects may enter or scatter around the inlet
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically switch between covering and exposing the taking-in unit. The hopper moving mechanism enables the hopper to be positioned in different states (covering or exposed) based on operational needs, providing flexibility in accessing the taking-in unit while maintaining protection when covered.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper is extracted from its traditional fixed position and separated from the taking-in unit, allowing independent movement. This extraction enables the hopper to be moved away from the taking-in unit for maintenance access while maintaining the ability to return to its protective position, thus resolving the conflict between accessibility and protection.
2Ease of operation
If the hopper is moved to expose the taking-in unit, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but coins may drop or scatter during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by moving the hopper to an exposed position before maintenance operations begin, and then returns it to the covering position after maintenance is complete. This preliminary positioning allows maintenance personnel to access the taking-in unit safely without coins present in the movement path, and ensures the hopper is in a protective position during coin processing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper moving mechanism provides controlled dynamic movement that can position the hopper precisely in either covering or exposed states. This dynamic capability allows the system to transition smoothly between protective and accessible configurations, maintaining coin stability by ensuring the hopper is in the appropriate position during different operational phases.
3Device complexity
If a pivoting cover is used to access the taking-in unit, then structural simplicity is maintained, but coins or foreign objects may scatter around the inlet when opened
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is extracted from the pivoting cover structure and made into a separately movable component. This extraction allows the hopper to move independently on rails without being constrained by the pivoting mechanism, enabling it to be positioned precisely to cover or expose the taking-in unit without causing coins to scatter during the opening/closing action.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the static pivoting cover with a dynamic hopper moving mechanism that can precisely control the position of the hopper. This dynamic positioning allows the hopper to smoothly transition between covering and exposed states without the abrupt movements associated with pivoting, preventing coin scattering while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of linear rails.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a coin processing apparatus including: a hopper that stores a coin; a taking-in unit that takes in the coin supplied from the hopper; and a hopper moving mechanism that moves the hopper, while maintaining the hopper in a horizontal state, from a position at which the hopper covers the taking-in unit to a position so that the taking-in unit is exposed.