Vending Machine Tilting Cup Mechanism for Product Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vending machines often experience issues with the smooth transition of products from a column to a cup, leading to rough handling and potential failures in product delivery due to tilting and bridging, which can result in failed exchanges from the tray to the dispenser.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a tilting cup mechanism that adjusts its angle to match the product's path of motion, combined with a pusher assembly featuring a spring and damper to control the velocity of product movement, ensures a smooth transition from the column to the cup, preventing tilting and bridging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional delivery system is used to move products from column to cup, then the delivery mechanism is simple, but the product transition is rough causing tilting and bridging
Solution Approach 1:
The cup is designed to tilt dynamically during the product transfer process. The cup starts in a first orientation aligned with the column, then tilts to a second orientation to facilitate smooth product entry, and finally returns to a third orientation for stable product holding. This dynamic orientation change eliminates rough transitions, tilting, and bridging of products during delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the orientation parameter of the cup throughout the delivery cycle. The cup transitions between multiple orientations (first, second, and third orientations) to optimize product transfer at different stages. This parameter change enables smooth product flow while maintaining delivery reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the cup tilts to match the product path of motion, then the product transition becomes smooth preventing tilting and bridging, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cup tilts dynamically during the product transfer process. The cup starts in a first orientation aligned with the column, then tilts to a second orientation to facilitate smooth product entry, and finally returns to a third orientation for stable product holding. This dynamic orientation change eliminates rough transitions, tilting, and bridging of products during delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilting mechanism is integrated with the cup structure itself, combining the product receiving function and the tilting motion into a single unified component. This merging eliminates the need for separate complex tilting mechanisms while achieving smooth product transfer.
3Productivity
If a pusher assembly with spring and damper is used to control product velocity, then the product transfer becomes stable and efficient, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher assembly uses a spring to provide controlled pushing force and a damper to regulate the velocity parameter of product movement. This combination allows the system to maintain optimal product transfer speed, preventing both tilting and bridging while ensuring stable and efficient product delivery from the column to the cup.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper component provides beforehand cushioning by controlling the velocity of the pusher assembly before product transfer issues can occur. This prevents excessive speed that would cause tilting and bridging, while the spring ensures sufficient force is available to move products reliably.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures reliable product delivery by eliminating tilting and bridging, allowing for stable and efficient transfer of products from the tray to the access port, enhancing the vending process.
Implementation Method 1
the pusher assembly comprises a spring and a damper
Implementation Method 2
the damper counteracts a force of the spring and decreases a velocity of the pusher assembly
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a vending machine. The vending machine comprises an access port, a chassis including a plurality of trays and a plurality of columns, a movable stage, and a product catch coupled to the movable stage. The product catch is operable to move in a first direction to accept a product from one of the plurality of trays, and the product catch is operable to move in a second direction to deposit the product in the access port.