Patent ID: 7240805
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising: an enclosure defining therein an internal storage cavity and having an access path that leads from said internal cavity toward an article delivery port; an article holder within said internal cavity for holding a plurality of selectable articles; an article grasping and extracting mechanism for removing at least one of said plurality of selectable articles from said article holder in response to one or more dispense control signals; a positioning mechanism operatively connected with said article grasping and extracting mechanism for moving said article grasping and extracting mechanism within said enclosure in response to said one or more dispense control signals; and a controller operatively connected with said article grasping and extracting mechanism and with said positioning mechanism for producing and providing said one or more dispense control signals thereto to cause said article grasping and extracting mechanism and said positioning mechanism to cooperatively remove a selected article from said article holder and transport said selected article toward said access path wherein, said article grasping and extracting mechanism includes a suction hose having one end coupled to a source of suction, and a free end adapted to grasp an article by use of suction force created by said source of suction; a vacuum release mechanism is coupled to said suction hose for providing an opening to said suction hose when said vacuum release mechanism is activated, said opening causing a quick release of said suction force from said suction hose, and consequently quick release of the grasped article, when said vacuum release mechanism is activated; and said vacuum release mechanism is activated by mechanical contact caused by a portion of one of said article grasping and extracting mechanism or said positioning mechanism, said mechanical contact occurring when said article grasping and extracting mechanism has reached a point in its movement where the selected article has been transported to said access path.