Patent ID: 7487886
Filing Date: 2009-02-10
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing an article from a stack of articles each having a periphery, the apparatus comprising: an isolating device including one or more isolating members which are movable between a hold position spaced from the stack of articles, and a dispense position contacting the periphery of one or more articles in the stack and supporting the one or more articles including an adjacent article which is adjacent an endmost article while not contacting the periphery of the endmost article by the one or more isolating members; and a supporting device including one or more supporting members which are movable between the hold position contacting and supporting the endmost article, and the dispense position spaced from the endmost article; wherein the one or more isolating members in the dispense position contact the periphery of one article if the stack includes only one article which is the adjacent article in addition to the endmost article; and wherein the one or more isolating members in the dispense position contact the peripheries of at least two articles if the stack includes a plurality of articles including the adjacent article in addition to the endmost article; wherein the one or more isolating members comprises one or more holding pads, and wherein the one or more supporting members comprises one or more supporting pins.