October

21st 2013

MECH 292
Conceptual Design Report
The Coin Sorter

Group 7

Vincent Wiedemann260517379
Anthony Vitulli260532182
Mohsin Naseer260457826
Gaspard Sautereau260467668

Table of Contents

Introduction 3
Objectives Tree..4
Black Box5
Functions Means Tree..6
Morph Charts..7
QFD.8
Individual Concept.9

Spiral Gravity.9

Rotary10

Gravity..15

Sifting17

Tilted Rotary.19

Pugh Matrix23
Bill of Materials..24
Conclusion..24
Reference List..25

Introduction
During the course of a week, people can gather a surprising
amount of change from cash transactions in their everyday lives. Most
of the time people forget about the change they have in their pockets or
wallets. We want to design a coin sorter that can not only separate
coins, but also store them into accessible compartments and count the
amount sorted.

This concept is not limited to the homeowner. It can also be
implemented in vending machines and arcade games, as change is
mostly used and change can be separated into compartments.
Furthermore, charity organizations can use a portable coin sorter to do
the help them since most people at events give spare change as a small
form of donation.

We believe that the main attributes for the coin sorter are stated
in the following list:

Its quickness to separate coins
Its capacity
It must have compact size
Must be of reasonable weight
Portability
Easy maintenance
User friendly
Must be built within budget constraint of 100$
Must be able to sort many coins without misplacement or
jamming
Storage should be easy for user to access

From these main attributes, we derived many other secondary ones and
categorized them into functions, objectives, constraints and means. The
following tree shows the objectives that we want to meet. Following this
tree we produced a simple Black Box to shows the main functions that
the coin sorter must carry out.

Objectives Tree:

Sorting
Ef^icency
Reliable

Sorting
velocity

Durable
Compact Size
Coin Sorter
light weight
User friendly
Safe to use
Inexpensive

Fig 1 Objectives tree

safety
features

Minimum
maintenance

Black Box Function Generation:

Input
Power
Gravity
Coins

Coin sorter

Output
Separate coins
Noise generated
Store coins
Heat generated

Fig 2 Black Box

From the black box diagram, generation of power, maybe through

gravity, motors or other means will drive the coin sorter to carry out its
main functions. These functions include separating coins from one
another, storing them and counting the number of coins sorted. Of
course, as with any electrical and mechanical machine, unwanted
functions also arise. These include noise and heat. We want to minimize
these as much a possible. They can also serve as secondary objectives.

Function-Means Tree:

motors
Power
generation

sensors

scales
Gravity

Reduce
noise

count coins

compartme
nts
caps

Easy acces
to coins

Store coins

lids
scales

Coin Sorter

weight

springs
load cells
slots
trays

Separate
coins

diameter

chutes
calibration
slots

thickness

trays
chutes
rails

Fig 3 Function-Means Tree

Morph Chart:
Table 1 Morph Chart

Functions

Means

Able to
separate
coins

Weight scales

Use of
gravity

Chutes

Store
coins

Ducts

Plastic
tubing

Pans

Caps

Lids

Easy
Compartments Removable
access to on the outside
storage
coins
of structure
after
sorting

Slots
Motors Trays Vibration
made for
(screen)
specific
diameters

Count
amount
for coin
types

Trip sensor

Weight
scale
converter

Optic
sensor

Manual
printed
scale

Display
screen

Must be
easy to
carry

Plastic
housing

Handles

Beams

Carrying
box

Reduce
noise

Material
padding

Low drop
height

Housing

QFD:
Table 2 QFD

Individual Concepts:
Spiral Rotary
1

This

concept

utilizes the force of

gravity to move the
coins down a spiral
path. Observing Figure
below, it can be seen
how the coins are fed
from the dark blue
container at the top.
Fig 4 Spiral Rotary

The coins enter the

orange spiral path through a narrow slot which ensures that

one coin at a time enters the path. There are different sized
slots in the spiral path which can allow different sized coins
to pass through. The first slot along the spiral is for the coin
with the smallest diameter, i.e. the 5 cent coin. Since only 5
cent coins can pass through the slot, other coins move
further along the path and leave the path where the
diameter of the coin matches the slot size. The coins are
collected in cylinders, which are placed beneath the slots.



1
http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/10480331/coin_jar_coin_sorter_counting_mon
ey_bank_coin_bank.html

Rotary
Gaspard Sautereau- 260467668

Overview
The main idea behind the
concept of the rotary coin sorter
is to use both gravitational and
centrifugal forces in order to
separate coins and store them
into separate compartments. The
machine would be built like a
mille-feuille,
which
means
stacking several layers, one atop
another. Several layers of
carriers, spinning about a central
shaft, would produce the force
necessary to put the coins in
motion. Coins would be sorted by
diameter, from the largest to the
tiniest. Once arrived on their
respective layers, coins would be
ejected out of the device using the
centrifugal force, and stored in
tubes.
This concept was quite
easily imagined from both the
existing spiral rotatory coin
sorter as well as the desire to
enhance its sorting velocity and
reduce missorting. It was soon
pointed out that the limiting
factor in the spiral rotary was its
Fig 5 General and Cut Views of the
reliability and tendency to be
Assembly
jammed. Group Brainstorming
soon brought up the idea to separate the two tasks that are
sorting and storing the coins, so as to improve the product.

10


Detailed Description of Parts

As seen on fig 5 a
cylindrical shell surrounds
the device so as to make it as
compact and as impermeable
as possible. Coins are placed
on top and introduced in the
feeder. Several slots have
been pierced on the side of
the shell allowing the coins
sorted to exit the device and
be stored into containers.
As seen on fig 6 four
rotary plates, equipped with 8 Fig 6 Shaft and Rotary Plates
slots and one bottom rotary
plate are attached to the central shaft rotating
counterclockwise. The shaft
is put into motion by a
simple
motor
located
underneath the shaft in a
cavity (drilled on purpose),
and powered by standard
batteries.
In between each of
those rotary plates a fix
circular plate is fastened to
the shell fig 7. A hole, having
the diameter of the next-to
be-sorted coin, has been
bored on each of these
Fig. 7 Fixed, Sorting Circular Plate in the plates.
Shell

11


Description of the process

As soon as
the coin has been
placed in the
feeder,
the
carrying circular
plate will put it
into
motion
around the shaft. If
several coins are
placed at the same
t
Fig. 8 Case of a Coin Falling in between two Slots
i
me only the bottom coin will be taken away by the machine,
and the others will stay on top of the plate and fall in the
next available slot fig 8. The coin will then pass over the
hole. If the coin is too large to fall in the hole, it means that it
has been sorted
and will be carried
further until it is
ejected. However, if
the coin does fall in
the hole, it will fall
onto to slot of the
next carrying plate
and pass over
another hole, until
it reaches its level Fig. 9 Shooting of a Sorted Coin
fig 9.
Once the coin has arrived to its layer, it will be carried
until the shooting slot. The slot must be thin enough not to
let two coins being shot together.
12


Advantages and Critics

The chief advantage of this concept is the sorting
speed, because in this design it is only a function of the
angular velocity of the shaft. Increasing this velocity will
increase the number of coins sorted per minute per a factor
of 8. With theoretically 8 coins sorted per layer per rotation
the device does not need a very important angular velocity
to achieve a high sorting velocity and the minimum angular
velocity, necessary for the coin to slip can easily be
determined as follow :

Fig. 10 Simplified Sketch for (1)

!! = !!! 1
!!
1 !! = !
!

1 !! !" = !!! !
1 !!"# =

!! !

!

We can make a sample calculation with =.08m, s.2
for most plastics2. This yields =4.95 rad.s-1 which means

2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction

13

!=

!.!"
!!

= .79 !"#. This angular velocity can be achieved by

any common motor and does not affect the safety of the
product.
Other advantages are the compactness of the object,
its reliability and its quietness. As a matter of fact, sound-
damping materials can be used to reduce the noise to a
minimum.

Manufacturing is both an advantage and a
disadvantage. Advantage because none of the parts requires
a complicated machining since the components that cannot
be taken of the selves only require a few holes, with
dimension precise down to the millimeter, which can be
achieved by most modern machines. On the other hand, the
thickness must be adjusted down to the .1 mm, which is
much more difficult to do, and smoothed enough so as not
to increase friction forces amongst the rotating plates.
Finally, it is thus far quite difficult to assess the question of
how to fix parts together. Further calculation shall be made
later on to evaluate the shear stress imposed to each plate
and therefore decide on a way to fasten pieces together.

Notwithstanding these manufacturing remarks, other
drawbacks include safety as moving parts are always
riskier than fixed ones and maintenance as it will be
difficult for a normal user to access the different layers.

Conclusion

The chief improvement in this product is the
separation of the sorting and storing tasks. Separating these
tasks will enhance the sorting velocity as well as minimizing
sorting error, thus achieving the two main objectives of the
project
14

Gravity
Mohsin Naseer -260457826
Overview

As
I
was
discussing our design
project with my team
members, I noticed
the importance of
minimizing cost and
assuring that the
design is simple. To
materialize this idea I
thought of using
gravity as opposed to
rotation by motors to
sort the coins.

As shown in the
figures above, this
concept consists of a
path
with
slots
Figure 10 Top View
machined on the
inside. The process of sorting starts with a manual input of the coins in
the container. Due to the tilt of the tray, and the height of the slot, coins
are forced to move inside the slot at B, one at a time. After this, the coins
enter the machined path.
The separation of each type of coin occurs in successive steps. All
of the steps are similar. As an example to explain the detail of the
process, the first step of sorting is as follows: At point A, the 10 cent
coin, which is the smallest diameter coin, moves along the inner path
and through the slot which leads it to the container of 10 cent coins.

15

B
A

Steel Wire for support

Rest of the coins,

which are larger
than the inner
groove at A, move
further along the
path.
Similar
processes occur
successively along
the path to sort
other coins in the
order of smallest
to largest coin
diameter. Below

Figure 11 Side View

each output slot, a container is present to stack the coins.

Possible materials that can be used for different parts are as follows
Aluminum or plastic for the path with slots
Steel wire for support for the tray
Transparent plastic for compartments to collect coins

What it addresses:

The primary function addresses by the concept is to sort the coins
by size. The coins move in a single row and do not stack up since the slot
does not allow more than one coin to pass through. Because of this the
primary function is accomplished very well in this concept.
The secondary function of stacking the coins in compartments is also
accomplished nicely by the concept due to the discrete locations of the
slots for each size, below which, different compartments can be placed
easily.
The drawback of this design is that it is not very fast and requires more
time compared to the other designs we considered.
Also, since the slots need to be very precise and machined according to
the diameter of the coins, the process maybe more expensive as
compared to other designs.
16

Sifting
Vincent Wiedemann- 260517379
General concept description
The idea I proposed was to have a multilayered apparatus, where
all the coins are placed on the top tray and cascade down to the last one.
The top tray will be the largest as it will also double for the hopper,
where all the coins will originally be dropped. To make sure no coins are
stacked on top of each other a slot will be placed in between the hopper
part of the tray and its sifting part for a more reliable operation. All the
trays are angled (slightly) so the coins can fall in the next one. Vibrating
cells will be used to drive the coins down the tray towards the holes and
the next tray. When the machine will be turned on the top tray will
extract the smallest coins (dimes) while the larger ones will continue
and fall on the next tray below. The ends of the trays will be spouted to
direct the coins toward the next tray as they fall. These spouts will be
there to make sure the coins fall at the right place on the tray below so
the coins can more effectively reach the holes. The trays will be slotted
with the proper sized holes for the coins to fall through. When the
proper coins fall into the proper holes they will be caught by a chute
that will direct them towards a container. Every level of the sifting coin
sorter will be built the same way; a slotted tray that is supported by
slender rods placed over and behind another one. The last tray will not
require any rods of any sorts to be held in place as it will be mounted on
the base of the machine.

Concept operation


During operation the top tray will be extracting 10 cent coins
while sifting through all the coins. As the coins advance on the tray by
way of gravity and vibrations they will pass over the holes where only
the 10 cent coins shall fall. The rest of these coins will continue and fall
on the next tray where the 5 cent coins will be sorted by the same sifting

17

process. The process will repeat for the 25 cent and 1 dollar coins. After
the 1 dollar coins will have been sorted only 2 dollar coins shall remain,
which will fall directly into their respective container. After the coins
have been sorted at every level (as soon as they fall through holes on the
proper sifting tray) a chute will direct them to a container where all
sorted coins of the same type will be gathered. So in total 4 sifting
operations will occur during on sorting run; one for the dimes, one for
the nickels, one for the quarters and one for the loonies. The toonies will
not be sifted as they will already be sorted once the loonies have been
sorted; they will simply fall into the last tray which will be their sorted
container. The number of sifting passes of the machine is determined by
the following equation:
!! = ! ! (!)
Where sp is the
number of sifting passes and, n the number of the different types of
coins. In our case n=5, which means there will only be 4 sifting passes
for all the coins to be sorted.

Idea source

The idea for this design came from this semesters MechMadness
in Peterborough (basically a factory tour), which I attended. One of
these tours was a McCloskey International a maker of industrial
conveyors, stackers, crushers, trommels and screeners. My idea comes
from the trommels and the screeners sifting operation; dirt mixed with
rocks and other debris enters the machine and the finer and coarser
elements are separated through a sifting process; bigger holes in the
screens for bigger debris and smaller holes for the smaller ones, the
process starting by separating the smallest particles. I thought that this
same process could be applied as mixed coins are essentially the same
as mixed debris and can be separated by the same process.

18


Tilted Rotary:
Anthony Vitulli - 260532182

Overview:

I thought of this idea by looking at a bottle with a bit of water in it.
I tilted the bottle and as expected the water covered more of one side
than the other. Then I rotated it and noticed that the water stayed to
that side. I imagined if these were coins and there were holes then the
smaller coins would pass through. This was my starting point for this
concept.

This concept involves trays that are rotating at angles, such that
the coins will always tend to be on one side of the tray. The trays would
have holes in them that allow for coins to pass except the targeted coin
that we want to keep at that level. The process will continue until all the
targeted coins are separated in each tray. This concept implies that the
coins will be sorted largest to smallest and acts like a cascade. Further I
thought the trays would be circular in shape as to facilitate rotation.
Each tilted tray will be connected to a motor and the circuit will run in
series (all at once). The trays would be made of two parts. One part is
fixed and does not move. These would be the walls of the trays. The part
that does move will be the base or floor of the tray in which holes will be
cut out or pressed through. The trays will need to be attached to motors
and the structure of the coin sorter will house these motors.

If you look at my sketch of this concept, I thought that structure of
the coin sorter would have diagonal beams passing from corner to
corner. On these beams we can mount the motors at the center. This
would be beneficial to keep thing symmetric and ensure that the coins
fall from one layer to the one below it.

For the rigid part of the tray I thought of having beams to hold it
in place. So the structure of the coin sorter is important. I thought it
would need to be a rectangular prism as to place all these beams. We
would need to do this for every tray.

19




What it addresses:

This concept addresses the primary function of sorting the coins
by size very well, but it is harder to address the secondary function,
which is to get these coins into tubed, accessible compartments.
Therefore, I this concept would need two switches. One allows the
motors to rotate and another opens a piece of the rigid part of each tray.
So what I want to create is flap on the tilted side and when these are
open (after the coins have been separated) the coins in those tray now
empty out through this flap and ducts tubes will carry them to their
holders which will be on the outside of the structure.

The clearance between each level would have to be small as to
help reduce noise. The housing can be made of plastic or made like a
hollow structure. Lastly, the trays can be purchased off the shelf and
modification can be made to make the holes, and ensued that the fixed
end properly holds the rotating bottom of each tray.



















20

Sketch of Tilted Rotary concept:

Figure 12 Tilted Rotary - 1

21

Figure 13 Tilted Rotary -2

22

Pugh Matrix

Table 3 Pugh Matrix

Criteria
Reliable
product
Compact size
Affordable
Suitable for
display on
shelves
Weight
Sorting
Speed
Safety
features
User friendly
Easy
maintenance
Performs
quietly
Compartments
for storing
Easy to
manufacture
Life cycle
Easy access to
compartments
Holding
capacity
Total +
Total -
Overall
Weighted total

Datum

Rotary

Gravity Sifting

Tilted
rotary

20

15
10

+
0

0
0

-
0

0
0

10

35

10

10

15

20

15

20

0
0
0
0

3
3
0
35

4
0
4
40

1
6
-5
-40

0

1
5
-4
-10

23

Bill of Materials
Table 4 Bill of Materials

Components
Plastic housing

Quantity
1

Cost
15$

Motors
Electrical wires

1 or 2
10-15

Funnel
Batteries
Trip sensors
Display screen
Switches
Screws

1
2 or 4
5
1
1
N/A

4-5 $
8-10
dollars
5$
5$
25$
N/A
1 $
N/A

Shaft

20$

Source
Can be bought at retail store
and modified
Addison Electronic
Addison Electronic
Off the shelf
Off the shelf
Addison electronic
Electronics store
Electronics store
Can be off the shelf oralready
purchased
If it need to be machine
If not then off the shelf and
modified

A lot of the electrical components and motors can be bought at Addison

Electronic; it is a store in East End Montreal and has really low prices on electronics.
These prices above are real maximums for those pieces.

Conclusion

After brainstorming through the pros and cons of our individual

concepts, and with regards to the results of the Pugh Matrix, the top two
concepts were the gravity and rotary concepts. Although the gravity was
found to be the best one according to the Matrix, and considering we
want to maximize the sorting speed and that the basic functions will
better achieved by the rotary, we decided to select the rotary concept.


Notwithstanding, we agreed to make small attachments to the
chosen concept. First of all, a feeder will be installed on top, so as to
channel the coins into the sorter. The feeder can be angled or motorized,
as to push the coins through the slots. Second of all, tubes and sensors
(trip or optical) will be attached on the side, in order to store the coins.
Finally, we all agreed that the bottom of the housing would be coated
with an anti-slip, high friction material.

24

Reference List

Images

Spiral rotary Illustration

DIY Trade
URL:
http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/10480331/coin_jar_co
in_sorter_counting_money_bank_coin_bank.html

Reference Data

Values of friction coefficient for different materials:
Wikipedia
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction

25