Money Dispensing Device Overflow Handling and Bag Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional money dispensing devices in self-POS terminals fail to notify sales clerks when a storage bag is not attached, leading to coins exceeding the upper limit being left inside the device, as the bag is often hidden within the chassis and hard to notice.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a control device that manages the conveying mechanism to move excess coins to either the dispensing port or a storage bag, and outputs a notification when the storage bag is not attached, ensuring proper handling of overflowed coins and alerting staff of the missing bag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the storage bag is detachably attached to the money dispensing device, then the device can move excess moneys to the storage bag, but the storage bag becomes hidden inside the chassis and hard to notice when missing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoney overflow handlingVSAvoidstorage bag attachment status

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives detection signals from detection means (such as sensors or switches) that monitor whether the storage bag is properly attached, and outputs notifications to alert salesclerks when the storage bag is missing or improperly attached. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing reliable overflow handling capability while making the attachment status detectable and notifyable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the storage bag is placed inside the chassis, then the device structure is compact, but salesclerks hardly notice when the storage bag is forgotten to be attached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice structureVSAvoidstorage bag attachment notification

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives detection signals from detection means (such as sensors or switches) that monitor whether the storage bag is properly attached, and outputs notifications to alert salesclerks when the storage bag is missing or improperly attached. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing reliable overflow handling capability while making the attachment status detectable and notifyable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If no notification system is implemented, then the device structure is simple, but excess coins remain inside the device when the storage bag is not attached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification systemVSAvoidcoin discharge function

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives detection signals from detection means (such as sensors or switches) that monitor whether the storage bag is properly attached, and outputs notifications to alert salesclerks when the storage bag is missing or improperly attached. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing reliable overflow handling capability while making the attachment status detectable and notifyable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10026252B2Money dispensing device and accounting device

Publication Date: 2018.07.17 TOSHIBA TEC KK

AI summary

In one embodiment, a money dispensing device has a storage device, an attaching/detaching mechanism and a control device. The attaching/detaching mechanism detachably supports a storage bag. When the storage device to store money has overflowed, the money stored in the storage device is discharged to a storage bag. The control device outputs information indicating that the storage bag is not attached when the storage bag is not attached to the attaching/detaching mechanism.