Self-Service Pet Tag Marking Kiosk with Automated Dual-Side Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pet tag marking kiosks either require manual operation by trained personnel or restrict customer interaction, lacking safety features to prevent access to marking implements, and often fail to efficiently mark both sides of a tag.

Innovation Solution

A public use tag marking kiosk design that encloses the marking implement within a housing, allowing customer input through a graphical user interface while preventing direct access, and features a tag holder that automatically aligns and marks both sides of the tag, with safety measures like a closeable door to protect the user from the marking process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the marking implement is made accessible to customers for manual operation, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is worsened due to risk of injury from the marking implement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer access to marking implementVSAvoidsafety risk from marking implement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A robotic arm serves as an intermediary between the customer and the marking implement. The customer provides commands through a graphical user interface, and the robotic arm executes the marking actions automatically, eliminating direct contact between the customer and the potentially harmful marking implement while maintaining operational capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs the marking operation autonomously based on customer input. The robotic arm automatically positions, grips, and manipulates the tag and marking implement without requiring the customer to physically handle these components, enabling safe self-service operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If the kiosk marks only one side of the tag, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity is worsened due to additional manual intervention required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarking system configurationVSAvoidtag marking efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The tag holder is designed to dynamically rotate and reposition the tag automatically. After marking one side, the holder rotates the tag to present the opposite side to the marking implement, enabling both sides to be marked in a single automated operation without increasing significant system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The single marking implement serves multiple functions by marking both sides of the tag sequentially. The system achieves multi-sided marking capability through automated repositioning rather than requiring separate marking mechanisms for each side, maintaining device simplicity while improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If the tag holder requires manual alignment by customers, then manufacturing precision is reduced, but ease of operation is improved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetag alignment accuracyVSAvoidcustomer effort for alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Manual mechanical alignment by the customer is replaced with an automated optical or sensor-based alignment system. The system automatically detects the tag's position and orientation, and the robotic arm adjusts the tag holder to achieve precise alignment with the marking implement, ensuring high manufacturing precision while requiring minimal customer effort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor tag placement and automatically adjust the holder position. Sensors detect whether the tag is properly aligned, and the system makes real-time corrections to ensure accurate positioning before marking begins, eliminating the need for manual alignment verification by the customer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7853353B1Public use pet tag marking kiosk

Publication Date: 2010.12.14 HILLMAN GROUP INC

AI summary

Implementations of a public use tag marking kiosk. Aspects associated with particular implementations of a tag marking kiosk comprise, among others, automatically marking two sides of a tag within the kiosk, receiving the tag to be marked from the customer, engaging and aligning the tag to be marked, providing a closeable door between the marking implement and the customer while the tag is being marked, ejecting the tag from a tag holder after the tag is marked, and aligning the tag so that a desired tag side is required to be initially facing up on the tag holder. Housing for the kiosk may surround all of the system parts or may be split into a housing shell and a marking unit that fits inside the shell. Marking implements may be laser, mechanical stylus, paint, or others. Tags may be suspended in a cantilevered manner during marking.