Item dispensing system
US4513957A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 1983 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H7/16
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An item dispensing system is disclosed wherein in a preferred sheet dispensing embodiment, primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups are mounted to one end of a pick arm which is rotated between a stack of sheets and a dispensing path. Initially, a two-way valve is controlled to pass a vacuum from a vacuum source only to one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups. The selected set of suction cups then attempts to vacuum lift and pass a sheet to and along the dispensing path. The failure of a sensor to sense that sheet in the dispensing path within a preselected period of time indicates that the selected set of vacuum cups may have been unsuccessful in vacuum lifting that sheet from the stack due to a poor vacuum seal between the selected set of vacuum cups and that sheet. Such a failure causes a processor to generate a signal to cause the two way valve to apply the vacuum from the vacuum source only to the other one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.