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US 2014/0151393 A1Published application
Article dispenser apparatus
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorBradley T. Simpson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article dispenser accumulates and dispenses a required correct number of articles from a supply of loose articles to complete a work operation. The articles are picked one at a time from the supply of articles and deposited on a pivotal chute for collection in a ladle at an outlet of the chute. When the correct number of articles are deposited in the chute, the chute pivots from a first article accumulation position to a second position allowing removal of the articles from the ladle.
Claims14
An article dispenser comprising:
- a housing with an opening for receiving a plurality of loose articles;
- a rotary member disposed in communication with an interior of the housing;
- a chute pivotally mounted at a pivot point and having an inlet and an outlet end;
- and
- at least one magnet carried on the rotary member disposed in communication with an interior of the housing for magnetically attracting and carrying one article from a plurality of articles in the interior of the housing to the inlet of the chute.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.