Item dispensing system

Abstract

An item dispensing system is disclosed wherein in a preferred sheet dispensing embodiment, primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups are mounted to one end of a pick arm which is rotated between a stack of sheets and a dispensing path. Initially, a two-way valve is controlled to pass a vacuum from a vacuum source only to one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups. The selected set of suction cups then attempts to vacuum lift and pass a sheet to and along the dispensing path. The failure of a sensor to sense that sheet in the dispensing path within a preselected period of time indicates that the selected set of vacuum cups may have been unsuccessful in vacuum lifting that sheet from the stack due to a poor vacuum seal between the selected set of vacuum cups and that sheet. Such a failure causes a processor to generate a signal to cause the two way valve to apply the vacuum from the vacuum source only to the other one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.