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Card vending machine

  • US 5,235,519 A
  • Filed: 02/27/1991
  • Issued: 08/10/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A vending machine for printing and dispensing user designed cards, comprising:

  • a) a housing;

    b) card storage means mounted in the housing for storing cards;

    c) card dispensing means coupled to the storage means for dispensing cards stored therein wherein the cards are rectangular of a length greater than width and are stored in the card storage means in a cross stacked arrangement of sub-stacks of cards, the card dispensing means comprising right angularly disposed inwardly pointing pairs of opposed solenoids, the solenoids being each attached to support platforms at the inwardly pointing ends of the solenoids for supporting the card sub-stacks, said opposed solenoids and therefore the platforms movable between inward and outward limiting positions which correspond to positions of clearance with respect to the length and width of the cards;

    e) control means mounted in the housing provided with manual entry means, data receiving and storage means, display means and printing means;

    f) processing means for controlling the operation of the control means, the processing means responsive to data input by a user, wherein the processing means provides instructions to the user at various stages in the vending procedure which must be carried out in order to advance to the next stage of the vending procedure; and

    g) activation means for activating the processing means and the card dispensing means in response to the insertion of a preset amount of money or the equivalent thereof.

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