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Title:
CHIP SORTING DEVICES AND RELATED ASSEMBLIES, COMPONENTS AND METHODS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/174442
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
Chip sorting devices may include at least one chip collection tube having at least one adjustable wall that at least partially defines an inner diameter of the at least one chip collection tube. The at least one adjustable wall may be at least partially rotatable to define different inner diameters. Chip sorting devices may include a chip hopper having a relief mechanism for clearing chips that become jammed between a chip chamber and a base plate of the chip hopper. Methods of sorting chips may include actuating the relief mechanism to increase a space between a top plate of the relief mechanism and the chip chamber. Methods of setting up a chip sorting device may include adjusting an inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube.

Inventors:
KRENN PETER (AT)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2017/057593
Publication Date:
January 11, 2018
Filing Date:
March 30, 2017
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
SHUFFLE MASTER GMBH & CO KG (AT)
International Classes:
G07D3/02
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
CORNFORD, James (GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 24 November 2017 (24.1 1.2017)

CLAIMS

What is claimed is: 1. A chip sorting device, comprising:

a chip conveyor unit comprising at least one chip well for transporting chips;

at least one chip collection tube having an inner lateral dimension for receiving at least one' chip therein, the at least one chip collection tube comprising:

at least one frame assembly; and

at least one adjustable wall coupled to the at least one frame assembly and at least partially defining the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube with an inner surface of the at least one adjustable wall, at least a portion of the at least one adjustable wall being rotatable relative to the at least one frame assembly to selectively increase and decrease the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube, the inner surface of the at least one adjustable wall having at least some curvature; and

at least one chip ejection unit configured and positioned to eject at least one chip from the at least one chip well of the chip conveyor unit into the at least one chip collection tube. 2. The chip sorting device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustable wall comprises:

a pivot side rotatably mounted to the at least one frame assembly;

at least one inner surface defining the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube; and

a swing side configured to be rotated into and out of an interior of the at least one frame

assembly.

3. The chip sorting device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chip collection tube further comprises at least one adjustment mechanism rotatably mounted within the at least one frame assembly, and wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism is configured to cause the at least a portion of the at least one adjustable wall of the at least one chip collection tube to rotate relative to the at least one frame assembly to adjust the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube.

4. The chip sorting device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame assembly comprises:

a first frame assembly; and

a second frame assembly mounted above the first frame assembly, the second frame assembly having a plurality of protrusions extending from the second frame assembly radially inward toward an interior of the second frame assembly;

wherein the at least one adjustable wall comprises:

a first plurality of adjustable walls disposed within an interior of the first frame

assembly and at least partially defining the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube; and

a second plurality of adjustable walls disposed within an interior of the second frame assembly and at least partially defining the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube, the second plurality of adjustable walls having a plurality of slot apertures defined therein, the plurality of slot apertures configured to receive the plurality of protrusions extending radially inward from the second frame assembly therein.

5. The chip sorting device of any one of claims 1 through 5, further comprising a plunger assembly mounted to the at least one chip collection tube, the plunger assembly comprising:

an actuating assembly; and

a plunger operably coupled to the actuating assembly and configured to pass through the at least one chip collection tube to push chips out of the at least one chip collection tube. 6. The chip sorting device of claim 5, wherein the plunger of the plunger assembly comprises:

an elongated portion;

a head portion attached to a longitudinal end of the elongated portion; and

a plurality of arms extending radially away from the head portion.

7. The chip sorting device of claim 6, wherein the at least one adjustable wall further comprises an indented portion correlating to a respective arm of the plurality of arms of the head portion of the plunger and defining a passage through which the respective arm of the plurality of arms of the head portion of the plunger passes when the head portion is moved through the at least one chip collection tube.

8. The chip sorting device of any one of claims 1 through 5, further comprising a chip outlet portion located and configured to eject chips from the at least one chip collection tube to a table surface, the chip outlet portion comprising:

an upper rim having an upper surface and defining a chip outlet hole, the upper surface

configured to be mounted at least substantially flush with the table surface; and a flange extending at least partially across the chip outlet hole and configured to open to

enable chips to pass through the chip outlet hole to the table surface. 9. The chip sorting device of any one of claims 1 through 5, further comprising a chip hopper for delivering chips to the chip conveyor unit, the chip hopper comprising:

a base plate having a cutout extending through the base plate;

a chip chamber rotatably mounted over the base plate and the chip conveyor unit, the chip chamber having a separating wheel base having a plurality of circular holes defined therein, the plurality of circular holes configured to receive at least one chip therein; and

a relief mechanism disposed within the cutout of the base plate, at least a portion the relief mechanism being configured to move away from the chip chamber.

10. A chip sorting device, comprising:

a chip hopper comprising:

a base plate;

a chip chamber mounted over the base plate and rotatable about a center axis relative to the base plate, the chip chamber comprising a separating wheel base defining a plurality of circular holes each configured to receive at least one chip therein; and

a relief mechanism having a top plate having a top surface oriented at least substantially flush with an upper surface of the base plate, the relief mechanism configured to move away from the chip chamber, the relief mechanism comprising an opening and a pusher having at least one finger configured to extend through the opening in the relief mechanism; and

a chip conveyor unit comprising at least one chip well configured to receive a chip from the chip hopper.

11. The chip sorting device of claim 10, wherein the base plate includes a cutout extending through the base plate and wherein the relief mechanism is disposed within the cutout of the base plate and is oriented immediately adjacent to the chip conveyor unit.

12. The chip sorting device of claim 10 or claim 11 , wherein the top plate of the relief mechanism comprises:

a base region; and

a plurality of teeth extending from the base region toward the chip conveyor unit, the plurality of teeth defining the opening comprising a plurality of slot voids, each slot void of the plurality of slot voids being defined between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth, wherein the at least one finger of the relief mechanism comprises a plurality of fingers, wherein each finger of the plurality of fingers is configured to extend through a respective slot void of the plurality of slot voids of the relief mechanism.

13. The chip sorting device of claim 12, wherein the relief mechanism further comprises an actuator configured to extend the plurality of fingers above the top surface of the top plate of the relief mechanism and to move the plurality of fingers of the pusher along the plurality of slot voids to push a chip across the top surface of the top plate of the relief mechanism and into the at least one chip well of the chip conveyor unit.

14. The chip sorting device of claim 10 or claim 11 , wherein the top plate of the relief mechanism is biased toward a position wherein the top surface of the top plate is oriented at least substantially flush with the upper surface of the base plate.

15. The chip sorting device of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the top plate of the relief mechanism is configured to move away from the chip chamber of the chip hopper when a chip that is at least partially stuck between the chip chamber and the base plate of the chip hopper passes over the top plate of the relief mechanism.

16. The chip sorting device of claim 10 or claim 11 , further comprising at least one chip collection tube, comprising:

at least one frame assembly; and

a plurality of adjustable walls coupled to the at least one frame assembly and at least partially defining an inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube, at least a portion of each adjustable wall of the plurality of adjustable walls being rotatable relative to the at least one frame assembly in order to selectively increase and decrease the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube. 17. A method of sorting chips, comprising:

inserting at least one chip into a chip chamber of a chip hopper rotatably mounted over a base plate of the chip hopper;

receiving the at least one chip into a hole of a plurality of circular holes defined in a separating wheel base of the chip chamber;

transporting the at least one chip along a circumferential path on an upper surface of the base plate of the chip hopper;

increasing space between the chip chamber and a top plate of a relief mechanism by moving the top plate of the relief mechanism away from the chip chamber; and pushing the at least one chip along the top plate of the relief mechanism with a pusher having at least one finger extending through an opening in the relief mechanism into a chip well of a chip conveyor unit.

18. A method of setting up a chip sorting device, comprising adjusting an inner lateral dimension of at least one chip collection tube of the chip sorting device to accommodate at least one chip, wherein adjusting an inner lateral dimension of at least one chip collection tube to accommodate at least one chip comprises:

rotating an adjustment mechanism of the at least one chip collection tube relative to a frame assembly of the at least one chip collection tube; and

rotating a plurality of adjustable walls into an interior of the frame assembly of the at least one chip collection tube responsive to rotation of the adjustment mechanism, inner surfaces of the plurality of adjustable walls having at least some curvature defining at least a portion of the inner lateral dimension of the at least one chip collection tube.

19. The method of setting up a chip sorting device of claim 18, wherein rotating a plurality of adjustable walls into an interior of the frame assembly of the at least one chip collection tube comprises rotating the at least one adjustable wall about a pivot side of the at least one adjustable wall to move at least one inner surface of the at least one adjustable wall toward the interior of the frame assembly.