Ticket Stacking Nip Mechanism for Curl Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed transaction-based printers face issues with manual compilation of multiple tickets, leading to errors and delays due to curled tickets causing misordering and blockages, especially in high-demand situations like lottery ticket sales.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for stacking tickets by using a stacking nip that feeds tickets in an overlapped manner, with a deflector to guide and support tickets into a bin, ensuring proper ordering and alignment, utilizing a shelf and rollers to manage ticket positioning and prevent curling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple tickets are issued at high speed using roll-type paper stock, then productivity is improved, but the tickets curl upon ejection causing misordering and blockages
Solution Approach 1:
A stacking nose is introduced as an intermediary component between the ticket cutter and the ticket bin. The stacking nose receives curled tickets from the cutter and guides them into proper stacking position in the bin, preventing misordering and blockages while maintaining high-speed operation
Solution Approach 2:
The stacking function is extracted as a separate mechanical component (stacking nose) rather than relying on manual handling. This dedicated stacking mechanism handles the curled tickets independently, ensuring proper ordering without affecting the high-speed ticket issuance process
2Reliability
If manual compilation of multiple tickets is performed, then proper stacking order can be achieved, but time consumption and errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking nose enables the ticket dispensing system to automatically stack tickets in proper order without human intervention. The mechanism self-regulates the stacking process, eliminating manual compilation time and reducing errors while maintaining reliable ordering
3Reliability
If a stacking mechanism is added to ensure proper ticket ordering, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than redesigning the entire printer mechanism, the stacking nose is added as a localized component specifically at the ticket ejection and stacking area. This targeted approach improves reliability without significantly increasing overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
To ensure a proper stacking order of paper tickets that exit a transaction-based printer, a stacking nip is provided which accepts a first ticket. The first ticket is fed into the stacking nip, and then advanced by the stacking nip for a fixed distance until a trailing edge of the first ticket is positioned before the stacking nip. A second ticket is then fed towards the stacking nip. The first ticket is held in the stacking nip with the trailing edge positioned before the stacking nip until a leading edge of the second ticket overlaps the trailing edge of the first ticket. The trailing edge of the first ticket and the leading edge of the second ticket are then simultaneously advanced through the stacking nip. The first ticket is ejected from the stacking nip into a ticket bin once the trailing edge is advanced through the stacking nip.