Asahi Seiko Company Ltd.

Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha

Tamotsu Tsuchida

Yorio Suzukawa

Takashi Inozuka

An automatic card dispenser unit for displaying and dispensing cards includes a storage housing for storing an array of cards. A holding member operatively positions a lower most card at a load station in a vertical alignment for display. A controller unit can receive a user input to dispense a card which will activate a dispenser assembly to cause a pickup member to removably grasp the card surface and release it from the holding member along a predetermined path of movement. A stopper member is mounted in the path of movement for separating the card from the pickup member to enable the card to be dispense to the user.

Automatic card dispensing unit with display capability

The present invention is a machine for dispensing articles, such as a vending machine, wherein the bottom article in a stack of articles is dispensed. To solve the problem of frictional resistance and excessive weight on the bottom article as it is being dispensed, the present invention provides a lifting mechanism to raise a portion of the stack of articles while the machine dispenses the bottom article. The lifting of the stack of articles above the bottom article relieves the weight of the stack from the bottom article, thereby reducing the frictional force as the machine slides the article out of a gate. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of lifting mechanisms operated by a common driving source cooperate to lift the portion of the stack of articles during the sliding operation and return the stack automatically once the bottom article has been dispensed.

Machine for dispensing stacked articles

A device is provided in which the coin size can be simply changed, even if the paid out coin type is changed. The dispensing efficiency of the coins is maintained at a good level, even if the device is operated at high speed. The coin dispensing device includes a tank for storing coins in loose condition and a freely rotatable disk is provided at the bottom in the tank and has an open hole for receiving coins. An adjustment device is arranged on the underside of this disk means for forming the open hole into an adjustment coin size hole. A guide element is arranged on the upper surface of the disk for guiding several coins in the open hole.

High speed coin dispenser

A coin dispensing apparatus of a compact design for dispensing coins at high speed from a storage hopper includes a selection mechanism for selecting the coins from the hopper and passing the coins along a passageway to an exit opening. A coin ejection guide assembly is positioned adjacent the exit opening and includes a movable member that is spring biased to contact the coin. A contact member is positioned opposite the movable member at a pre-determined distance for forcing the coin to push against the movable member. A guide unit is located downstream of the movable member for changing the direction of movement of the coin after it is pushed against the movable member. The guide unit can include a rotatable guide roller and a sloping guide rail. The movable member can further exert the storage spring energy as an ejection force against the rear edge of the coin to propel it through the exit opening in the direction determined by the guide unit.

Coin ejection guide structure

A simplified coin hopper structure which facilitates coin size changes. The coin hopper equipment is easily applied to various coin sizes by simple adjustments. The device includes a tank for storing coins in a loose loading condition and a disk arranged rotatably at the inside bottom of the tank. One or more hole, for passage of coins, is provided through the disk. An adjustment element is provided on this disk to open and close the hole and to form an adjustable opening for different coin sizes. A base for the disk is arranged below the disk. A rotating element turns the disk. A gear train is provided at the base connecting a drive to the rotating element.

Size changeable hopper

A card-like article is provided with an elevator assembly that can elevate a stacked array of cards to a discharge station. The elevator assembly can be incrementally advanced by reciprocating operating rods that extends between pairs of rails. The elevator assembly can be releaseably affixed to the rails by a braking assembly.

Card type dispenser assembly with bottom loading

A coin selecting apparatus which can change for coin sizes simply. The coin selecting apparatus includes a plate which has a vertical length opening for throwing a coin thereinto, a diameter gage slidably disposed on this plate and having a guide portion to partially seal the length of the opening, and a thickness gage slidably disposed on said plate to partially seal the width of the opening. The coin selecting apparatus has a front part, which is made of a plastic formed product having a rectangular plate form, base part which made of a plastic formed product having an approximately rectangular plate form, a chute cover part made of a plastic formed product having an approximately tail-fin-shaped form and a door part made of a plastic formed product having a slightly small rectangular plate form.

Coin selecting apparatus

An ejection apparatus for dispensing an item from a stack of items, for example, in a vending machine, includes an ejector member mounted for reciprocal movement. A movable member is connected to the ejector member and can be relatively rigid when transmitting force to the ejector member during an ejection stroke but can be bent during a return stroke to enable a compact storage configuration. A tube member can receive the movable member and bend it during its return stroke.

Combination storage system and compact ejection mechanisms

Coin segregation device

A coin delivering apparatus includes a hopper for accommodating therein coins at a random, and an agitating unit provided in the hopper for agitating the coins in the hopper. A charge-removing unit is further provided on a surface of or near the hopper. The charge-removing unit supplies, to charges generated on the hopper due to the agitation of the coins executed by the agitating unit, charges having a polarity reverse to that of the generated charges so as to neutralize and remove the generated charges.

Coin delivering apparatus and hopper for use in same

An escalator avoids jamming by preventing the edges of coins 5 from colliding with a path plate 4 in a curved portion 2 of the escalator, and prevents the deformation of the escalator by increasing the strength of the curved portion. The path plate, at the curved portion of the escalator, has a strengthening recess or trough 6 that extends along the direction in which coins pass, such that the upper ends of coins passing through the curved portion do not collide with the path plate.

Coin escalator

A coin dispensing device comprises a hopper 1 where a supply of coins is held in bulk. The coins are transported one by one on a coin dispensing disc 3 rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 2 for use in dispensing a coin. A base plate 20 is opposed to the coin dispensing disc 3 at a predetermined distance. The coin dispensing device also comprises guide holes 14 penetrating through the coin dispensing disc 3. Each of the guide holes 14 receives one of agitating members 13 which travels along a predetermined orbit on the base plate 20 accompanying with rotation of the coin dispensing disc 3. An extrusion member 50 is disposed on the base plate 20 along the orbit. The extrusion member 50 has a predetermined relative height to the base plate 20 to make a portion of the agitating member be protruded, as the agitation protruding end 13a, through the guide hole 14 from the coin dispensing disc 3 when the agitating member 13 passes on the extrusion member 50 along the orbit.

Growing community of inventors

Iwatsuki, Japan

Tamotsu Tsuchida