Switch Unit with Position Determination for Vending Machine Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of vending machines requires significant labor to allocate and connect multiple switch units, including commodity selection, illumination, and price display components, as existing solutions do not address the random placement of these units effectively.
Innovation Solution
A switch unit design that includes a control part with a position determination and code assignment mechanism, allowing for automatic determination of relative positions and key coding of slave units, thereby simplifying the allocation process by integrating illumination, price display, and commodity selection parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple switch units are randomly attached to a vending machine, then assembly flexibility is improved, but allocation work burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each switch unit is pre-equipped with a unique identification code before assembly. This preliminary action allows the control unit to automatically identify and allocate each switch unit's position and function without requiring manual allocation work during assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between assembly flexibility and allocation work burden
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit reads the identification codes from switch units and automatically determines their positions and allocations based on the code information. This feedback mechanism enables the system to self-configure based on the physical arrangement of switch units, eliminating the need for manual allocation while maintaining assembly flexibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If key, commodity illumination light source and price display light source are independently connected, then connection flexibility is improved, but allocation work burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control functions for keys, commodity illumination light sources, and price display light sources into an integrated control unit. This control unit automatically manages all these components based on the switch unit identification codes, merging multiple independent connection tasks into a single automated allocation process, thus reducing allocation work burden while maintaining connection flexibility
3Manufacturing precision
If switch units are manually allocated to vending machine positions, then positioning accuracy is improved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switch units perform self-identification and self-allocation through their built-in identification codes. When a switch unit is attached to a position, the control unit automatically reads its code and determines the correct allocation without requiring manual positioning or configuration, thus achieving both positioning accuracy and reduced assembly time
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a switch unit that drastically reduces the effort required to assemble a vending machine. The switch unit includes: a commodity selection part; an illumination part; a price display part; and a control part, wherein the switch unit is communicatively connected to at least one slave switch unit, and the control part includes: a position determination part configured to determine a relative position of the slave switch unit to the switch unit; and a code impartment part configured to impart a code to each of the keys of each of the switch unit and the slave switch unit on the basis of the determined relative position.