Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Utility Patent
1998-10-07
2001-01-02
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S148000, C271S152000, C271S156000, C271S157000, C414S796700, C414S797300, C221S231000
Utility Patent
active
06168151
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the discharging of relatively thick flat rectangular structures such as floppy disks and packaged IC cards from a dispenser unit that can be easily recharged by an operator.
2. Description of Related Art
Vending machines that have been capable of dispensing card bodies are known in the prior art. For example, Asahi Seiko USA, Inc. has disclosed various configurations of card dispensers that prevent the dispensing of two cards continuously or two cards stuck together, such as in a Model CD-200 wherein a reverse roller can prevent the discharge of two cards that have adhered together.
An example of a discharge apparatus for cards is disclosed in Japanese Utility Patent No.
63-60,147
and U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,587. This disclosure teaches the dispensing of cards using a rubber roller in order to discharge relatively thin cards, such as telephone debit cards. The conventional discharge apparatus are mainly directed for discharging thin cards by gravity feeding of the thin cards to a discharge or ejector mechanism. Such structures are not readily applicable to discharging a relatively thick IC card, floppy disk, or plate-shaped box objects. Conventional apparatus which use a rotating rubber roller for contacting and extending across the surface of the card has its limitations, in that some structures can be damaged by such a discharge or ejection mechanism. Other examples of apparatus for dispensing sheet-type objects can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,037. Of interest the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.
59-64,437.
Problems have occurred in the prior art in utilizing a dispensing or discharged position at the bottom of a stack of cards, since in a gravity feed arrangement the weight presented by the lower most card in the stack can be large when there are a large number of articles or cards stacked in the vending machine. This weight can lessen as the inventory of articles are discharged and therefore the conditions of the components of the dispensing structure must deal with a variable weight. Additionally, the components utilized to provide a dispensing structure can take up storage room in the vending machine.
The prior art is still seeking to provide a dispensing apparatus that can handle thick IC cards and the like that can be efficiently dispensed without being subject to a variable weight on the dispensing rollers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved dispensing apparatus module for dispensing articles in a stacked array in a vending machine. The dispensing apparatus is relatively narrow and efficiently uses the available space in the vending machine. The dispensing apparatus includes an elevator assembly that can movingly support a stacked array of articles so that the articles are lifted upward to a discharging station. The elevator apparatus has a housing with a flat surface for supporting the stacked articles. An elongated rod or rod members can be driven by a camming mechanism connected to a motor to incrementally extend vertically upward and then downward with the elevator mechanism having a clutching/breaking arrangement so that it is incrementally moved upward by approximately the height of a card member. An operator can actuate one or more levers to disengage the clutching/breaking assembly and permit the elevator assembly to be released from support rails and manually position at its lowest position for receiving a new charge of stacked articles.
At the top portion of the dispensing apparatus module an operating lever and sensor can detect an upper movement of an article to be dispensed. The sensor can activate another motor to drive a roller member having a one-sided protrusion so that the upper-most article on the stack of articles is contacted by the protrusion and translated off of the stack. It is possible to complement this arrangement with a second roller assembly that includes a counter-rotation roller to prevent the discharging of more than one article. A detector member can rotate a weighted lever for contacting a sensor to indicate the discharge of the article.
A controller system can coordinate the vending machine receipt of a payment and the activation of the various motors in accordance with sensor outputs.
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Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd.
Jones David A.
Price and Gess
Walsh Donald P.
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