Patent ID: 7810672

Claim:
A display device comprising: a) a chute for supporting a plurality of products in a stacked arrangement; and b) a cartridge assembly disposed at a lower end of said chute for dispensing a lowermost product of the plurality of products, said cartridge assembly comprising: i) a pocket for receiving the product to be dispensed, said pocket being movable between an open position wherein the product may be removed from said pocket and a closed position; ii) a first biasing member coupled to said pocket for biasing said pocket into said closed position; iii) a lever switch having a portion disposed within said pocket, said lever switch being movable between a depressed position when the product is disposed within said pocket and a raised position when the product is removed from said pocket; iv) a second biasing member coupled to said lever switch for biasing said lever switch into said raised position; v) an escapement member comprising an escapement arm having a recess and an escapement shelf disposed over said pocket in a forward position, said escapement member being movable between said forward position wherein said escapement shelf prevents a product of said plurality of products in said chute from dropping into said pocket and a retracted position wherein the product can drop from said chute into said pocket; vi) a cam body coupled to said lever switch, said cam body comprising a cam surface, said cam body being movable between a first position wherein said cam surface is received in said recess of said escapement arm and a second position wherein said cam surface is not received in said recess; and vii) a timer device disposed between said pocket and said escapement member for retarding a rate of movement of said escapement member between said forward position and said retracted position; wherein as the product is removed from said pocket when said pocket is in said open position, said lever switch moves to said raised position and said cam body moves to said second position; wherein as said pocket is subsequently moved from said open position to said closed position, said cam surface engages said escapement member, moving said escapement member into said retracted position, allowing another of said plurality of products to drop from said chute into said pocket; and wherein as said another of said plurality of products drops from said chute into said pocket, said lever switch is moved to said depressed position, moving said cam body into said first position and returning said escapement member to said forward position.