# US 8,875,942 B2 · Side-grip method for grasping textile items in a vending machine

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- Number: US 8,875,942 B2
- Document ID: US8875942B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/419,541
- Filed: 2012-03-14
- Published: 2012-09-20
- Granted: 2014-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-14
- Assignees: Polytex Technologies Ltd.
- Applicants: Tomer Poliner
- Inventors: Tomer Poliner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8875942B2

## CPC

- G07F 11/14: with means for raising the stack of articles to permit delivery of the topmost
- G07F 11/045: {for sheet shaped or pliable articles}
- G07F 11/165: {using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements}
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

A side-grip method of grasping and moving textile items in a vending machine from the storage area to the dispensing chute that does not require the textile item to be packaged comprising: (a) providing a stack of folded and unwrapped textile items; (b) providing an article selection mechanism configured with a gripping element; (c) vertically displacing said gripping element until said gripping element reaches a level of a top textile item in said stack; and (d) closing said gripping element solely on said textile item. Disclosed also is a vending machine configured to implement such a method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A side-grip method of grasping and moving textile items in a vending machine from the storage area to the dispensing chute that does not require the textile item to be packaged, the method comprising:
(a) providing a stack 20 of textile items;
(b) providing an article selection mechanism 10 configured with a gripping element 12;
(c) vertically displacing said gripping element 12 until said gripping element 12 reaches a level of a top textile item 20t in said stack 20; and
(d) grasping said textile item 20t with said gripping element 12 on at least a portion of an edge of said textile item 20t as said textile lies on said stack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said textile item 20t is folded at least one time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said textile item 20t is unwrapped.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein said gripping element 12 grasps only said textile item.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said gripping element 12 grasps at least a portion of a top surface of said textile item 20t in proximity to an edge 2 of the textile item 20t.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said gripping element is implemented with a support arm 14 for securing said textile item 20t between said gripping element 12 and said support arm 14.

### Claim 7

A vending machine for dispensing chute that does not require the textile item to be packaged, the vending machine comprising:
(a) a stack 20 of textile items; and
(b) an article selection mechanism 10 configured with a vertically displaceable gripping element 12;
wherein said vertically displaceable gripping element 12 is configured for gripping a top item 20t in said stack 20 on at least a portion of an edge of said textile item 20t as said textile lies on said stack.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said textile item 20t is deployed in the vending machine in a folded state being folded at least one time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said textile item 20t is deployed in the vending machine in an unwrapped state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vending machine of claim 9, wherein said gripping element 12 grasps only said textile item.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said gripping element is implemented with a support arm 14 for securing said textile item 20t between said gripping element 12 and said support arm 14.