Card dispensing apparatuses and associated methods of operation

摘要

Apparatuses and methods for dispensing magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, other cards, and/or other items from kiosks and other structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least a first card hopper (230) and a card transport assembly (210). The first card hopper is configured to hold a stack of cards that includes at least a first card stacked on a second card. The card transport assembly (210) includes a card carrier (212,214) configured to lift the first card off the second card and transfer the first card toward a card outlet. Methods are also disclosed for monitoring card stacks in a card dispensing apparatus and for prereading cards prior to sale to expedite dispensing operations. Devices are also disclosed for maintaining the alignment or levelness of top cards in stacks of cards having embossing or other raised features that cause uneven stacking.