Device for dispensing items from a stack of nested items, in particular cup lids

An item dispensing device for dispensing items from a stack of nested items, each item of the stack is defined by a cup-shaped body having an annular outwardly extending rim at a free edge thereof;

• the item dispensing device comprising:
• a tower magazine that has a first substantially vertical axis and is designed to contain the stack of nested items;
• and
• a denesting unit arranged at a lower end of the tower magazine and operable to detach items of the stack from a bottom of the stack;
• the denesting unit includes a plurality of denesting rollers rotatably mounted about respective substantially vertical second axes and distributed about the first substantially vertical axis to define a channel therebetween adapted to be engaged by last items of the stack;
• wherein each of the plurality of denesting rollers includes a lower shelf, a first upper shelf above the lower shelf, and a second upper shelf above the first upper shelf;
• some of the plurality of denesting rollers include at least a respective first separator carried by the first upper shelf, and other ones of the plurality of denesting rollers include at least a respective second separator carried by the second upper shelf;
• wherein the plurality of denesting rollers are mounted to rotate about the respective substantially vertical second axes between a rest position in which the stack rests on the lower shelves, and a single release position in which the first separators engage the stack to detach a last item that is arranged at the bottom of the last items of the stack;
• and to rotate between the rest position and a multiple release position in which the second separators engage the stack to detach at least two nested items arranged at the bottom of the stack;
• and
• wherein the plurality denesting rollers include a first series of denesting rollers provided with both the first and the second separators, and a second series of denesting rollers provided only with the second separator.

An item dispensing device for dispensing items from a stack of nested items, each item of the stack is defined by a cup-shaped body having an annular outwardly extending rim at a free edge thereof;

• the item dispensing device comprising:
• a tower magazine that has a first substantially vertical axis and is designed to contain the stack of nested items;
• and
• a denesting unit arranged at a lower end of the tower magazine and operable to detach items of the stack from a bottom of the stack;
• the denesting unit includes a plurality of denesting rollers rotatably mounted about respective substantially vertical second axes and distributed about the first substantially vertical axis to define a channel therebetween adapted to be engaged by last items of the stack;
• wherein each of the plurality of denesting rollers includes a lower shelf, a first upper shelf above the lower shelf, and a second upper shelf above the first upper shelf;
• some of the plurality of denesting rollers include at least a respective first separator carried by the first upper shelf, and other ones of the plurality of denesting rollers include at least a respective second separator carried by the second upper shelf;
• wherein the plurality of denesting rollers are mounted to rotate about the respective substantially vertical second axes between a rest position in which the stack rests on the lower shelves, and a single release position in which the first separators engage the stack to detach a last item that is arranged at the bottom of the last items of the stack;
• and to rotate between the rest position and a multiple release position in which the second separators engage the stack to detach at least two nested items arranged at the bottom of the stack;
• and
• an electronic control unit configured to cause the denesting unit to carry out a normal operating cycle in which the denesting rollers move from the rest position to the single release position, and vice versa, to dispense a single item;
• and, in case of malfunctioning of the normal operating cycle, to cause the denesting unit to carry out a reset operating cycle in which the plurality of denesting rollers move from the rest position to the multiple release position, and vice versa, to simultaneously dispense two nested items of the stack.