Modular system for physically manipulating physical media elements, and methods of operation thereof
Systems and methods for mechanically processing physical media elements, e.g., automatically scratching scratch-off lottery tickets, may include receiving a batch of tickets at an input chute of a scratching system. Tickets may be serially fed through the scratching system that includes a series of roller scratching mechanisms. Pressure rollers may be individually adjustable to set a pressure of the scratching mechanisms. One or more scanners may obtain information from the tickets before and/or after scratching. A pair of parallel plates may be used to form a feed path to guide tickets through the system. A vacuum manifold may isolate some elements of the system from debris, and remove the debris from the system via negative pressure. One or more presence sensor may detect presence of a current ticket to control operation of feed motors. Various functions or elements of the system may be distributed over a plurality of removable modules.
1 . A scraper system, comprising:
a plurality of modules, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of modules includes a roller scraper configured to process an input ticket;
another of the plurality of modules includes (i) a scanner configured to scan the input ticket or (ii) a feeder configured to convey the input ticket out from a loading area
each of the plurality of modules is configured to form a removable connection to an adjacent module of the plurality of modules;
the removable connection includes one or more of a power transmission connection or a data transmission connection; and
the one or more of the power transmission connection or the data transmission connection is formed, in each case, by:
on a first module, one or more first electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a first end; and
on a second module, one or more second electronic contacts that are fixedly positioned on a second end and that, when the first end of the first module and the second end of the second module are adjacently connected by the removable connection, the one or more first electronic contacts and the one or more second electronic contacts are positioned so as to abut each other and form one or more cooperating electronic contacts configured to transfer one or more of data or power between the first module and the second module without requiring a separate cabled connection.
2 . The scraper system of claim 1 , wherein each module of the plurality of modules is configured to perform a different mechanical operation on the input ticket.
3 . The scraper system of claim 2 , wherein at least one module includes the scanner.
4 . The scraper system of claim 2 , wherein at least one module includes the feeder, and the feeder is configured to draw media items, one at a time, from the loading region.
5 . The scraper system of claim 1 , wherein the removable connection, in each case, is configured to align a feed path for media items through the adjacent modules.
6 . The scraper system of claim 1 , wherein the removable connection, in each case, includes a locking mechanism formed by a latch on the first module and a locking structure that is on the second module and that is configured to operatively engage with the latch.
7 . A method of removably connecting separate modules of a scraper system, comprising:
aligning a feed path of two different modules, wherein at least one of the two different modules includes a roller scraper configured to process media items, and another of the plurality of modules includes (i) a scanner configured to scan the media items or (ii) a feeder configured to convey the media items out from a loading area;
bringing one or more first electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a first end of a first of the two different modules into contact with one or more second electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a second end of a second of the two different modules such that the one or more first electronic contacts and the one or more second electronic contacts form one or more cooperating electronic contacts configured to transmit one or more of data or power between the two different modules without requiring a separate cabled connection; and
removably affixing the two different modules to each other.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each module of the separate modules is configured to perform a different mechanical operation on an input ticket.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one module includes the scanner.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one module includes the feeder, and the feeder is configured to draw media items, one at a time, from the loading region.
11 . The scraper system of claim 7 , wherein aligning a feed path of two different modules includes inserting one or more alignment pin of one module into an alignment hole of another module.
12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein removably affixing the two different modules to each other includes operating a locking mechanism that includes a latch on one module and a locking structure on another module, the locking structure configured to operatively engage with the latch.
13 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
aligning a feed path of a third module to the feed path of the two different modules, wherein the third module includes an other of the (i) a scanner configured to scan the media items or (ii) a feeder configured to convey the media items out from a loading area;
bringing one or more third electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a third end of a third module into contact with one or more fourth electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a fourth end of one of the two different modules such that the one or more third electronic contacts and the one or more fourth electronic contacts form one or more further cooperating electronic contacts configured to transmit one or more of data or power between the third module and the one of the two different modules without requiring a separate cabled connection; and
removably affixing the third module to the one of the two different modules.
14 . A scraper system, comprising:
a plurality of modules, including:
a feeder module having a feed roller configured to draw media items, one at a time, from a loading region;
a scraper module having a roller scraper, and that is configured to process the media items fed by the feeder module; and
a scanner module configured to scan the media items processed by the scraper module;
wherein:
the feeder module and the scanner module are each configured to form a removable connection with the scraper module;
the removable connection, in each case, includes one or more of a power transmission connection or a data transmission connection; and
the one or more of the power transmission connection or the data transmission connection is formed, in each case, by a cooperating electronic contact between:
one or more first electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a first end of a first module;
and
one or more second electronic contacts fixedly positioned on a second end of a second module;
wherein the removable connection includes an adjacent connection between the first end of the first module and the second end of the second module such that the one or more first electronic contacts and the one or more second electronic contacts abut each other and form the cooperating electronic contact; and
wherein the one or more of the power transmission connection or the data transmission connection is configured to transfer one or more of data or power between the first module and the second module via the cooperating electronic contact without requiring a separate cabled connection.
15 . The scraper system of claim 14 , wherein the removable connection, in each case, is configured to align a feed path for media items through adjacent modules.
16 . The scraper system of claim 14 , wherein the removable connection, in each case, includes a locking mechanism formed by a latch on the first module and a locking structure that is on the second module and that is configured to operatively engage with the latch.
17 . The scraper system of claim 14 , wherein the feeder module further has at least one scanner configured to scan the media items before they are processed by the scraper module.
18 . The scraper system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one scanner of the feeder module includes two scanners configured to scan opposite surfaces of the media items.