Article dispensing and counting method and device
First Claim
1. A device for dispensing one or more articles, comprising:
- a housing; and
a lower plurality of blades cooperating to define an exit aperture from said housing, said lower plurality of blades carried within said housing in a movable manner with respect to one another so as to enable the size of said exit aperture to be varied for singulating articles falling through said exit aperture, wherein the size of the exit aperture defined by the lower plurality of blades is determined based on one or more dimensions associated with the articles, such that the size of the exit aperture defined by the lower plurality of blades is capable of being set prior to dispensing of the articles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention includes a system comprising a housing having an upper end and a lower end. The housing carries a plurality of movable blades defining an entry aperture proximate to the upper end, an exit aperture proximate to the lower end, and a chamber there between. An adapter may be provided for connection to the housing and for receiving an article storage container. The upper end of the housing carries a sensor responsive to the presence and absence of the article storage container. A memory device carries information about the presence and absence of the article storage container. An article determining and actuating station has electronics for interrogating the memory device, for controlling the plurality of blades and for determining the number of items dispensed. A receptacle collects articles that have been dispensed. Methods of associating a flow control device with an article storage container and of dispensing items are also disclosed.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A device for dispensing one or more articles, comprising:
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a housing; and a lower plurality of blades cooperating to define an exit aperture from said housing, said lower plurality of blades carried within said housing in a movable manner with respect to one another so as to enable the size of said exit aperture to be varied for singulating articles falling through said exit aperture, wherein the size of the exit aperture defined by the lower plurality of blades is determined based on one or more dimensions associated with the articles, such that the size of the exit aperture defined by the lower plurality of blades is capable of being set prior to dispensing of the articles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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17. A singulating device, comprising:
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a housing having an entry aperture and an exit aperture; a metering device carried by said housing and controlling said entry aperture, said metering device comprising an upper plurality of blades; and a lower plurality of blades carried within said housing and set off from said metering device to define a chamber there between, said lower plurality of blades controlling said exit aperture. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 41, 42)
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Specification