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US 10,706,656 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus for receiving and sorting disks
AssigneeShuffle Master, Inc.
InventorsPeter Wolfgang DeRaedt, Ludo DeMeutter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for receiving and sorting disks includes a wheel having at least one well for receiving a disk, a motor coupled to the wheel, a collecting device positioned relative to the wheel, a disk sensor, an ejector, and a controller. The collecting device has at least a first collector and a second collector configured for receiving disks. The disk sensor is configured to detect a value of a parameter of a disk received in the well and generate a parameter value signal. The ejector is coupled to the wheel proximate the well and configured to eject a disk from the well in a plane parallel to a bottom surface of the wheel in response to an eject signal. The controller is operably coupled with the disk sensor and the ejector.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- rotating a body comprising a plurality of wells for receiving disks adjacent a collecting device having a plurality of collectors configured for receiving disks;
- receiving a first disk of the disks in a first well of the plurality of wells;
- sensing a value of a parameter of the first disk and receiving the value of the parameter of the first disk at a controller;
- detecting a rotational position of the first disk in the first well utilizing a synchronization sensor positioned and configured to detect reference elements located at fixed positions relative to each of the wells, at least partially by receiving a signal from the synchronization sensor at the controller;
- and
- ejecting, utilizing a lift mechanism at least partially responsive to receiving another signal from the controller, received disks one at a time radially outward from the plurality of wells to collectors of the plurality of collectors at least partially based on a synchronization pulse generated by the synchronization sensor responsive to detection of a reference element, the ejecting comprising:
- ejecting the first disk radially outward toward a first collector of the plurality of collectors corresponding to the sensed value of the parameter of the first disk;
- directing the first disk over a first lower receptor surface of the first collector, upward over a beveled surface to a second upper receptor surface of the first collector, along at least one guide wall, and to a disk backstop;
- and
- forcing one or more disks already present in the first collector upward with the first disk as the first disk travels over the beveled surface to the second upper receptor surface of the first collector in order to position the first disk on the second upper receptor surface at a bottom of a stack of the one or more disks in the first collector.
7 more elements
A method for receiving and sorting disks, comprising:
- rotating a wheel, the wheel defining at least one substantially circumferentially enclosed well;
- receiving a first disk in a first well of the at least one well;
- sensing a value of a parameter of the first disk and receiving the value of the parameter of the first disk at a controller;
- detecting a rotational position of the first disk in the first well utilizing a synchronization sensor positioned and configured to detect reference elements located at fixed positions relative to each of the at least one well, at least partially by receiving a signal from the synchronization sensor at the controller;
- ejecting, utilizing a lift mechanism at least partially responsive to receiving another signal from the controller, the first disk radially outward from the first well, over a first planar surface at a first elevation, upward on a beveled surface to a second planar surface at a second elevation above the first elevation, and into a first collector of a plurality of collectors at least partially based on a synchronization pulse generated by the synchronization sensor responsive to detection of a reference element, wherein the first collector is selected corresponding to the sensed value of the parameter of the first disk;
- and
- as the first disk travels over the beveled surface from the first planar surface and onto the second planar surface, wedging the first disk underneath one or more disks present in the first collector in order to force the one or more disks in the first collector upward as the first disk travels to and stops on the second planar surface at a backstop in a position underlying each of the one or more disks present in the first collector.
4 more elements
An apparatus for receiving and sorting disks, comprising:
- a rotating body comprising a plurality of wells for receiving disks;
- a frame supporting the rotating body, wherein the rotating body is coupled to the frame such that the rotating body is configured to lie in a plane oriented at an oblique angle to a supporting surface upon which the frame is disposed when in use;
- a collecting device adjacent the rotating body, the collecting device having a plurality of collectors configured for receiving disks, wherein the plurality of collectors is coupled to the frame such that the plurality of collectors is configured to lie in another plane oriented at an oblique angle relative to the supporting surface upon which the frame is disposed when in use;
- a disk sensor configured to detect a property of a disk and generate a first signal in response to the detected property of the disk, the disk sensor selected from the group consisting of a color sensor, a digital image sensor, a bar code reader, and a radio frequency identification detector;
- a plurality of lift mechanisms, each lift mechanism comprising a flange configured to direct a disk radially outward from one of the plurality of wells to a collector in response to a second signal;
- and
- a controller operably coupled with the disk sensor and the plurality of lift mechanisms, the controller configured to generate the second signal and send the second signal to a lift mechanism of the plurality of lift mechanisms for lifting a disk from one of the plurality of wells into one of a first collector or a second collector according to the first signal.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.