Apparatuses and methods for dispensing magnetic cards, integrated circuit cards, and other similar items
First Claim
1. A card dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards in a first vertical stack;
at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards in a second vertical stack;
a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first vertical stack when the card carriage is in the first position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second vertical stack when the card carriage is in the second position;
a card outlet; and
a card escrow bin, wherein the card carriage is configured to transfer at least one of the first and second cards to the card outlet when the card carriage is in a third position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to transfer at least one of the first and second cards to the card escrow bin when the card carriage is in a fourth position, different than the third position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for dispensing cards and other items. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least first and second card hoppers and a movable card carriage. The card carriage is movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position proximate to the second card hopper. The card carriage is configured to receive a first card from the first card hopper when in the first position and a second card from the second card hopper when in the second position. In one aspect of this embodiment, the card carriage can dispense at least the first card into a card outlet chute when the first card has been sufficiently read by a card reader. Alternatively, the card carriage can dispense the first card into a card escrow chute when the first card has not been sufficiently read by the card reader.
90 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A card dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards in a first vertical stack; at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards in a second vertical stack; a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first vertical stack when the card carriage is in the first position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second vertical stack when the card carriage is in the second position; a card outlet; and a card escrow bin, wherein the card carriage is configured to transfer at least one of the first and second cards to the card outlet when the card carriage is in a third position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to transfer at least one of the first and second cards to the card escrow bin when the card carriage is in a fourth position, different than the third position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A card dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards in a first vertical stack; at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards in a second vertical stack; a card outlet for dispensing acceptable cards; a card escrow bin for holding unacceptable cards; and a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper, a second position proximate to the second card hopper, a third position spaced apart from the first and second positions, and a fourth position spaced apart from the third position, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first vertical stack when the card carriage is in the first position, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a second card from the second vertical stack when the card carriage is in the second position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to optionally transfer the first and second cards to the card outlet when the card carriage is in the third position and to the card escrow bin when the card carriage is in the fourth position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification