CARD DISPENSING APPARATUSES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF OPERATION

• US 20100308107A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Coinstar Incorporated (Outerwall Inc.)
• Inventors: Winters, Gregory P., Martin, Douglas A., Morford, Patrick E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/41 Rack-and-pinion, cogwheel in cog railway
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/46 worm gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2555/30 Multi-axis
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0816 separating from the top of pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0883 Construction of suction grippers or their holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/44 Simultaneously, alternately, or selectively separating articles from two or more piles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/045 for sheet shaped or pliable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/10 two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for dispensing magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, other cards, and/or other items from kiosks and other structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least a first card hopper and a card transport assembly. The first card hopper is configured to hold a stack of cards that includes at least a first card stacked on a second card. The card transport assembly includes a card carrier moveable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position spaced apart from the first card hopper. The card carrier is configured to lift the first card off the second card when the card carrier is in the first position. The card carrier is further configured to release the first card toward an outlet when the card carrier is in the second position. In one embodiment, the card carrier can move the first card past a card reader/writer for reading information from, and/or writing information to, the card as it carries the card from the first position to the second position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing wallet-sized cards from a kiosk, the apparatus comprising:

at least a first hopper portion configured to hold a first stack of cards, the first stack of cards including at least a first card positioned on a second card; and

a card transport assembly positioned relative to the first hopper portion, wherein the card transport assembly is configured to lift the first card off the second card, move the first card away from the first hopper portion, and release the first card toward a card outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first hopper portion is configured to hold a first vertical stack of wallet-sized cards having magnetic stripes that carry information, and wherein the first card is stacked on top of the second card in the first hopper portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card transport assembly is configured to lift the first card in an upwardly direction off the second card, move the first card in a horizontal direction away from the first hopper portion, and release the first card in a downwardly direction toward the card outlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second hopper portion positioned proximate to the first hopper portion, wherein the second hopper portion is configured to hold a second stack of cards, the second stack of cards including at least a third card positioned on a fourth card, wherein the card transport assembly is further configured to lift the third card off the fourth card, move the third card away from the second hopper portion, and release the third card toward the card outlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card transport assembly includes at least one suction cup for realeasably attaching the first card to the card transport assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card transport assembly includes:

at least one suction cup; and

a pump operably connected to the suction cup, wherein the pump at least partially evacuates the suction cup to releasably attach the first card to the card transport assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a card reader configured to read information off the first card as the card transport assembly moves the first card past the card reader.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card transport assembly includes at least one suction cup for realeasaby attaching the first card to the card transport assembly, and wherein the card dispensing apparatus further comprises a card reader configured to read information off the first card as the suction cup carries the first card past the card reader.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a chassis that positions the card transport assembly relative to the first hopper portion; and

a card reader fixedly attached to the chassis, wherein the card reader is configured to read information off the first card as the card transport assembly moves the first card past the card reader.

10. A card dispensing apparatus comprising:

at least a first card hopper configured to hold a first stack of cards, the first stack of cards including at least a first card positioned on a second card; and

a card carrier moveable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position spaced apart from the first card hopper, wherein the card carrier includes a selector head configured to secure the first card to the card carrier when the card carrier is in the first position, and wherein the selector head is further configured to release the first card from the card carrier when the card carrier is in the second position.

11. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the selector head is configured to drop the first card into a card outlet when the card lifter is in the second position.

12. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second card hopper configured to hold a second stack of cards, the second stack of cards including at least a third card positioned on a fourth card, wherein the selector head is configured to secure the third card to the card carrier when the card carrier is in a third position proximate to the second card hopper, and wherein the selector head is further configured to release the third card from the card carrier when the card carrier is in the second position.

13. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a card reader configured to read information off the first card as the card carrier moves the first card past the card reader.

14. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a card reader configured to read information off a magnetic stripe on the first card as the card carrier moves the first card past the card reader.

15. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a card writer configured to write information to the first card as the card carrier moves the first card past the card writer.

16. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the selector head includes at least one suction cup, wherein the suction cup releasably secures the first card to the card carrier when the card carrier is in the first position, and wherein the suction cup releases the first card from the card carrier when the card carrier is in the second position.

17. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the card carrier further includes:

an elongate rack operably coupled to the selector head; and

a pinion gear operably engaged with the elongate rack, wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a first direction drives the selector head downwardly, and wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a second direction opposite to the first direction drives the selector head upwardly.

18. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the selector head includes at least one suction cup, and wherein the card carrier further includes:

an elongate rack operably coupled to the suction cup; and

a pinion gear operably engaged with the elongate rack, wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a first direction drives the suction cup downwardly and against the first card when the card carrier is in the first position, and wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a second direction opposite to the first direction drives the suction cup upwardly and away from the first card hopper when the card carrier is in the first position.

19. The card dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one lead screw operably coupled to the card carrier, wherein rotation of the lead screw in a first direction moves the card carrier from the first position toward the second position, and wherein rotation of the lead screw in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the card carrier from the second position toward the first direction.

20. A kiosk for dispensing cards to customers, the kiosk comprising:

an enclosure having a card outlet;

a user interface mounted to the enclosure, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a card selection from a customer;

a monetary input region mounted to the enclosure, wherein the monetary input region is configured to receive a form of payment from the customer for the card selection;

a first hopper portion positioned within the enclosure and configured to hold a first stack of cards, the first stack of cards including at least a first card positioned on a second card;

at least a second hopper portion positioned within the enclosure adjacent to the first hopper portion, wherein the second hopper portion is configured to hold a second stack of cards, the second stack of cards including at least a third card positioned on a fourth card; and

a card transport assembly positioned within the enclosure, wherein the card transport assembly is configured to lift the first card off of the second card and transfer the first card to the card outlet when the customer card selection corresponds to the first card, and wherein the card transport assembly is further configured to lift the third card off of the fourth card and transfer the third card to the card outlet when the customer card selection corresponds to the third card.