IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0249732
(2005-10-12)
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등록번호 |
US-7422127
(2008-09-09)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Christoffersen,Steve
- Hecht,Thomas R.
- Thompson,Scott
- Simi,Michael E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery includes a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downwar
A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery includes a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction. A parallelogram mechanism is mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position. A hinge is coupled to the parallelogram mechanism and has a handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position. After the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the parallelogram mechanism deforms to de-elevate the hinge and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platfo
What is claimed is: 1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; and a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; and wherein the lower parallelogram portion of the parallelogram mechanism is slidably coupled with a plurality of carriage rods to move in the linear direction forward to the dispense position and rearward to the home position. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a return spring coupled between the upper parallelogram portion and the lower parallelogram portion of the parallelogram mechanism to bias the parallelogram mechanism toward a rest configuration in which the upper parallelogram portion is not de-elevated. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a reverse travel stop in the home position to prevent the parallelogram mechanism from moving past the home position rearward. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotatable handle of the hinge is spring loaded in rotation to bias the distal end of the handle of the hinge in an upward direction to move the lid periphery of the bottommost lid forward. 5. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; and a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; and wherein the upper parallelogram portion includes a travel stop for the handle of the hinge to stop rotation of the handle of the hinge at a location to limit rearward movement of the distal end of the handle of the hinge. 6. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; and a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; and wherein the distal end of the handle of the hinge includes a plurality of contact protrusions; and wherein the distal end of the handle of the hinge has a convex curved edge and the plurality of contact protrusions are formed along at least a portion of the curved edge. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the distal end of the handle of the hinge is enlarged to have a wide distal end to provide more contact between the contact protrusions and the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid to move the bottommost lid forward to dispense the bottommost lid. 8. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; and a lid blocker disposed forward of the load platform to block forward movement of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism drives the hinge to move the bottommost lid forward for dispensing; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; and wherein the lid blocker has an adjustable gate disposed rearward to face the stack of lids, the adjustable gate being adjustable vertical in height to accommodate different heights of lids to be dispensed. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the lid blocker includes a screw coupled to the adjustable gate to adjust the vertical position of the adjustable gate. 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the adjustable gate includes a pair of vertical ribs to contact the stack of lids to block forward movement of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism drives the hinge to move the bottommost lid forward for dispensing, and to provide a space between the vertical ribs for the lids to deform. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the adjustable gate includes a rubber surface disposed between the pair of vertical ribs for contacting the lid peripheries of the lids moving forward. 12. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; and a keeper disposed forward of and rotatably coupled to the lid blocker, the keeper being biased in the rearward direction to impede forward momentum of the lid being dispensed after being separated from the stack of lids; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing. 13. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; a parallelogram mechanism having a lower parallelogram portion, an upper parallelogram portion, and a pair of parallelogram wires connected between the lower parallelogram portion and the upper parallelogram portion to form a parallelogram and permit the lower parallelogram portion to move with respect to the upper parallelogram portion to change a shape of the parallelogram formed thereby, the parallelogram mechanism being mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position; a hinge coupled to the upper parallelogram portion and having a rotatable handle with a distal end oriented upward and forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids when the parallelogram mechanism moves forward from the home position toward the dispense position; and a lid insert selected to be disposed on the load platform to register a forward tangent point of the bottommost lid to be dispensed in a same location regardless of a size of the bottommost lid; wherein after the distal end of the handle of the hinge contacts the inner surface of the lid periphery of the bottommost lid, the upper parallelogram portion stops moving forward and the lower parallelogram portion continues moving forward to de-elevate the upper parallelogram portion and move the distal end of the handle of the hinge downward causing the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing. 14. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; means for moving a handle in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position, for moving a distal end of the handle forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids toward the dispense position, and for de-elevating the handle in the dispense position to cause the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; wherein the distal end of the handle includes a plurality of contact protrusions; and wherein the distal end of the handle has a convex curved edge and the plurality of contact protrusions are formed along at least a portion of the curved edge. 15. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a lid from a stack of lids each having a lid periphery, the apparatus comprising: a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids, the main floor sloping downward from an apex in a rearward direction, the load platform having a forward slope inclined downward from the apex in a forward direction; means for moving a handle in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position, for moving a distal end of the handle forward to contact an inner surface of a lid periphery of a bottommost lid of the stack of lids toward the dispense position, and for de-elevating the handle in the dispense position to cause the bottommost lid to deformably move downward to the forward slope of the load platform to separate from the stack of lids for dispensing; and a lid insert selected to be disposed on the load platform to register a forward tangent point of the bottommost lid to be dispensed in a same location regardless of a size of the bottommost lid.
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