Abstract: An automatic flat-article dispensing apparatus which can dispense a relatively large and heavy flat articles without damaging the articles and without increasing the size of the apparatus and significantly increasing the energy consumption. The apparatus for dispensing a flat article, has a table which supports stacked flat articles and suction ports disposed over the table and facing the flat articles. A suction device provides suctions to hold the top flat article of the stacked flat articles by sucking air through the suction ports. A conveyance device conveys the flat article sucked via the suction port in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of the stack. The suction ports are a first suction port and a second suction port which are disposed in the lateral direction.

Abstract: So as to reduce the size of a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins and to lower the cost of a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins, a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins is provided that includes a reception portion that receives an IC coin with its surface facing a customer, and moves the IC coin in a predetermined direction to sends the IC coin to a reading and writing portion. The reading and writing portion retains the received IC coin with its surface visually confirmed by the customer. A reading and writing unit for the IC coin is placed at the reading and writing portion, and a sorting portion sorts the IC coin held at the reading and writing portion to a return portion.

Abstract: A compact driving unit for an automatic banknote receiving and storing unit. The banknote receiving and storing unit includes a banknote accepting unit, a safe unit, a transporting unit for moving an accepted banknote to a position adjacent the safe unit, a translating unit for non-rotationally displacing the accepted banknote into the storing section of the safe unit, and a driving lever pivoted by a driving crank in the transporting unit to operate the translating unit. The safe unit and the transporting unit are removable from a chassis.

Abstract: Dispensing more than one card or card like good is prevented to prevent issuing a duplicate with an automatic dispensing machine of card or card like good having a table which supports the piled up card or card like good. A sucking device is located over the table and pulls the card or card like good. A transporting device transports the card or card like good which is pulled by the sucking device. A moving device drives to change the distance between the table and the sucking device. A duplicate detecting device is located at a card transporting passageway which is located downstream the transporting device. A vibrator imparts a vibration to the card or card like good on the table. A separating device acts when the duplicate detecting device detects the duplicate of the goods. The separating device and the transporting device reverses, and the goods of card like is returned on the table. Afterwards the sucking device is stopped, then the vibrator is vibrated.

Abstract: A support unit supports a plurality of flexible cards arranged in a stack. A pickup unit adjacent to the stack of flexible cards attracts a first card from the stack of cards, bending the flexible card. A transporting unit adjacent to the pickup unit receives and moves the first card attracted by the pickup unit along a card dispensing passageway. A biasing unit having at least one biasing roller with at least one radial projection from the biasing roller urges a portion of the first card towards the card dispensing passageway. A method of dispensing flexible cards includes movement of cards away from the pickup unit after the first card is attracted to prevent inadvertently dispensing more than one card.

Abstract: An automatic flat-article dispensing apparatus which can dispense a relatively large and heavy flat articles without damaging the articles and without increasing the size of the apparatus and significantly increasing the energy consumption. The apparatus for dispensing a flat article, has a table which supports stacked flat articles and suction ports disposed over the table and facing the flat articles. A suction device provides suctions to hold the top flat article of the stacked flat articles by sucking air through the suction ports. A conveyance device conveys the flat article sucked via the suction port in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of the stack. The suction ports are a first suction port and a second suction port which are disposed in the lateral direction.

Abstract: So as to reduce the size of a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins and to lower the cost of a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins, a reading and writing apparatus for IC coins is provided that includes a reception portion that receives an IC coin with its surface facing a customer, and moves the IC coin in a predetermined direction to sends the IC coin to a reading and writing portion. The reading and writing portion retains the received IC coin with its surface visually confirmed by the customer. A reading and writing unit for the IC coin is placed at the reading and writing portion, and a sorting portion sorts the IC coin held at the reading and writing portion to a return portion.

Abstract: An automatic dispensing machine of substantially flat goods is provided which detects the over-dispensing of goods while accommodating for varying thickness of the substantially flat goods. The automatic dispensing machine includes a table which supports goods such as cards, a suctioning device which pulls the cards, a transporting device which transports the cards after they are pulled by the suctioning device, a position-control device which controls the distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device. The position-control device is configured to increase the distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device based on a dispensing signal. The distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device is then decreased until a predetermined distance is reached.

Abstract: Dispensing more than one card or card like good is prevented to prevent issuing a duplicate with an automatic dispensing machine of card or card like good having a table which supports the piled up card or card like good. A sucking device is located over the table and pulls the card or card like good. A transporting device transports the card or card like good which is pulled by the sucking device. A moving device drives to change the distance between the table and the sucking device. A duplicate detecting device is located at a card transporting passageway which is located downstream the transporting device. A vibrator imparts a vibration to the card or card like good on the table. A separating device acts when the duplicate detecting device detects the duplicate of the goods. The separating device and the transporting device reverses, and the goods of card like is returned on the table. Afterwards the sucking device is stopped, then the vibrator is vibrated.

Abstract: A support unit supports a plurality of flexible cards arranged in a stack. A pickup unit adjacent to the stack of flexible cards attracts a first card from the stack of cards, bending the flexible card. A transporting unit adjacent to the pickup unit receives and moves the first card attracted by the pickup unit along a card dispensing passageway. A biasing unit having at least one biasing roller with at least one radial projection from the biasing roller urges a portion of the first card towards the card dispensing passageway. A method of dispensing flexible cards includes movement of cards away from the pickup unit after the first card is attracted to prevent inadvertently dispensing more than one card.

Abstract: A compact driving unit for an automatic banknote receiving and storing unit. The banknote receiving and storing unit includes a banknote accepting unit, a safe unit, a transporting unit for moving an accepted banknote to a position adjacent the safe unit, a translating unit for non-rotationally displacing the accepted banknote into the storing section of the safe unit, and a driving lever pivoted by a driving crank in the transporting unit to operate the translating unit. The safe unit and the transporting unit are removable from a chassis.

Abstract: An automatic bill storage device for storing bills of different widths or sizes, includes a bill loading device for receiving a bill and positioning it at an initial storage position. A bill contact device can then engage the bill at the initial storage position and translate the bill to other side of a restraining device to a storage location that is biased by a movable plate. A contact member can contact an intermediate portion of the bill and translate the bill by a moving contact that extends from the intermediate portion of the bill towards one end of the bill as the bill is moved towards the storage location. This looping movement of contact can accommodate bills of different width in a compact configuration and can permit an initial bending of the bills from the initial storage position to aligning the bills so that they are straightened so that they can be stored in a stacked array in an efficient and compact manner.

Abstract: An automatic dispensing machine of substantially flat goods is provided which detects the over-dispensing of goods while accommodating for varying thickness of the substantially flat goods. The automatic dispensing machine includes a table which supports goods such as cards, a suctioning device which pulls the cards, a transporting device which transports the cards after they are pulled by the suctioning device, a position-control device which controls the distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device. The position-control device is configured to increase the distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device based on a dispensing signal. The distance between the uppermost card and the suctioning device is then decreased until a predetermined distance is reached.

Abstract: An automatic bill storage device for storing bills of different widths or sizes, includes a bill loading device for receiving a bill and positioning it at an initial storage position. A bill contact device can then engage the bill at the initial storage position and translate the bill to other side of a restraining device to a storage location that is biased by a movable plate. A contact member can contact an intermediate portion of the bill and translate the bill by a moving contact that extends from the intermediate portion of the bill towards one end of the bill as the bill is moved towards the storage location. This looping movement of contact can accommodate bills of different width in a compact configuration and can permit an initial bending of the bills from the initial storage position to aligning the bills so that they are straightened so that they can be stored in a stacked array in an efficient and compact manner.

Abstract: Equipment is provided for issuing IC cards packed in transparent films, etc. without damaging the card or the packaging. The equipment includes a dispenser which can be loaded with s large number of cards in simple and at short time. An elevator for the card bodies is provided with a flexible rack a driving mechanism for moving the rack in up and down directions, a movable base which arranged at the bottom end, for carrying card bodies. The dispenser includes the elevator with the movable base as well as a fan for taking up the top most card body on the movable base and a tire or wheel for sending out the card body which is taken up at the fan.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus module for a vending machine is provided that enables stacked articles to be lifted off of the stack and translated from a loading station to a discharge station. An elevator apparatus is provided for progressively moving articles to a load station. A conveying apparatus with a linkage assembly for supporting a section nozzle can contact the uppermost article and lift it off the stacked array. The conveying apparatus can move the article to a discharge station for releasing the article to the user. A self-contained suction source is provided in the dispensing apparatus to provide low atmospheric pressure to the suction nozzle.

Abstract: In a vending machine for discharging one of articles by manual operation of lever after depositing a coin, a rotary plate is rotated by the manual operation of the manual lever and a driven plate is rotated through the deposited coin which is received in a pocket formed by cooperation of the rotary plate and the driven plate. The driven plate drives an article discharging mechanism. An article discharging mechanism has a package separating mechanism for separating one package from a package belt having scored lines between adjacent packages to discharge it as the article. The package separating mechanism comprises a package guide roll for guiding one package thereon during rotation and elastic fingers rotating together with the package guide roll. The elastic fingers pinch the package onto the package guide roll with bending. The fingers rapidly return to the original shape from the bent shape by their elasticity to give a tension force to the package.