Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-30
2003-07-29
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3653)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
With casing or support
C312S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06598759
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the general field of article handling accessories and is particularly concerned with a dispensing container for selectively dispensing relatively flexible objects such as envelopes, magazines and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There exists a variety of situations wherein it is desirable to selectively dispense individual objects. In particular, there exists numerous situations wherein it desirable to store and individually dispense relatively flexible objects such as magazines, flyers, envelopes or the like. A typical, although by no means exclusive example, can be found in the art associated with automated teller machines often referred to as ATMs.
The automated teller machines are typically located in lobbies of banking institution buildings so as to be accessible even outside regular banking hours. These automated teller machines are typically used directly by consumers both to receive deposits and to dispense money. In order to allow for the deposit of various types of currencies, checks and money orders, the automated teller machine user is often asked to insert the deposit in a predetermined type of envelope.
The deposit envelopes are often stacked in dispensing containers formed integrally as part of the automated teller machine or adjacent the latter. Various types of dispensing containers using various types of dispensing mechanisms have heretofore been used. However, most dispensing containers for deposit envelopes have proven to be unsatisfactory.
Most prior art envelope dispensing containers include a box-like enclosure having a dispensing port positioned adjacent a lower section thereof. The envelopes are stacked into the box-like enclosure with the lowermost envelope being prevented from falling through the dispensing port by various types of abutment structures. Containers of this type have the advantage that even the very last envelope can be dispensed from the container without any particular difficulty since the envelopes move spontaneously towards the bottom of the container by gravity as they are consumed.
However, one of the main drawbacks associated with this type of prior art envelope dispensing containers is that they often lead to wastage of envelopes unwantingly dispensed with the lowermost envelope. The unwanted dispensing of overlying envelopes along with the lowermost envelop often results either from frictional forces between the lowermost envelope and overlying envelopes or from the intended user unwantingly grasping more than one envelope.
Indeed, the envelopes being merely stacked on top of each other, the weight of the stack often creates an excessive frictional force between the lowermost envelope and the overlying envelope. The same type of frictional contact is also often present between contacting surfaces of other adjacent envelops located adjacent the bottom of the stack. The frictional forces sometimes drag adjacent envelopes along with the lowermost envelope as the latter is being pulled through the dispensing port.
Also, since the envelopes are merely stacked on top of each other, the weight of the stack forces the edge of the lowermost envelope being grasped by the intended user into a proximal relationship with the similar adjacent edge of the overlying envelopes. Hence, it is often difficult for the intended user to isolate the edge of the lowermost envelope. Consequently, the intended user often unwantingly grasps and draws overlying envelops along with the lowermost envelope.
As a result, envelopes overlying the lowermost envelopes are often unwantingly pulled out of the dispensing port. These unwantingly withdrawn envelopes are at best left on a counter adjacent the dispensing container creating a messy situation on the counter and potentially tarnishing the public image of the banking institution. Often times, they even fall to the ground adjacent the automated teller machine creating an even messier situation. Not only does this situation lead to an unsightly mess but it also leads to the costly and environmentally detrimental waste of paper objects.
The same type of problem arises with conventional dispensing containers used for other purposes such as the dispensing of flyers, magazines, other printed publications, stamps, wrapped objects and any relatively flexible dispensed object stored in a stacked configuration. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved dispensing container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed dispensing container allows for storage of a stack of relatively flexible objects and selective individual dispensing thereof. The proposed dispensing container facilitates grasping by an intended user of the lowermost object in the stack with reduced risks of having the intended user unwantingly grasp overlying objects.
Also, the proposed dispensing container allows for a reduction in the frictional force between the lowermost object being dispensed and overlying objects stacked on top of the latter. This reduction in the frictional force between the lowermost object and overlying stacked objects, in turn, reduces the risks of having overlying objects unwantingly dragged along and dispensed with the lowermost object as the latter is being drawn by an intended user out of the dispensing port.
Furthermore, the proposed dispensing container allows for selective and individual dispensing of a lowermost object through a set of quick and ergonomical steps without requiring manual dexterity on behalf of the intended user. Also, the proposed dispensing container allows for both storage and dispensing of objects with reduced risks of damaging the latter during both the storage and dispensing operations.
Still furthermore, the proposed dispensing container optionally reduces the risks of unwanted tampering with the objects stored within the container and of tampering with the dispensing container itself. Still further, the proposed storage container optionally provides for centering of the objects stored therein so as to facilitate optimal positioning of the objects within the container and so as to further reduce the risks of damaging the objects stored within.
Also, the proposed dispensing container optionally allows selective dispensing of the objects without requiring contact of the intended user with the objects prior to having the objects leaving the dispensing port. Still furthermore, the proposed storage container may optionally be positioned adjacent similar dispensing containers and allowed to dispense objects stored within the adjacent containers according to a predetermined dispensing sequence or pattern.
Overall, the proposed dispensing container is designed so as to be easily manufacturable using conventional materials and through a set of conventional manufacturing steps so as to provide a dispensing container that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.
According to the present invention, there is provided a dispensing container for storing a stack of relatively flexible objects and for individually dispensing a lowermost object of the stack to an intended user, each of the objects defining a object first main edge, a generally opposed object second main edge and an object grasping edge, the object first and second main edges defining an object main edge distance therebetween, each of the objects defining a corresponding object main geometrical plane intercepting the object first and the object second main edges, the dispensing container comprises: a storage section for storing the objects in a stacked relationship to each other, the storage section defining a storage section dispensing end, a generally opposed storage section inlet end and a storage section axis extending between the storage section dispensing end and inlet ends, the storage section dispensing end defining a dispensing port; the storage section including a first storage wall and a generally opposed second storage wall each extending substantially from the storage section disp
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