A vending machine showcases and dispenses retails goods from a storage compartment while displaying images on a transparent electronic display. The transparent electronic display being located behind, spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to the cover panel. A door frame houses the cover panel and the transparent electronic display. Masking brackets are secured to the front surface of said transparent electronic display and an inner surface of said cover panel or said door frame and obstruct the view beyond said masking brackets.

The present invention relates to data collection comprising the receiving of inbound data from a hygiene equipment, the inbound data indicating a filling status of the hygiene equipment acquired by a data acquisition unit of the hygiene equipment, and comprising the transmitting of outbound data to the hygiene equipment, the outbound data changing a behaviour with regard to a lock unit of the hygiene equipment based on the filling status of the hygiene equipment.

A vending machine with a transparent electronic display includes a pair of lighting strips for illuminating a storage compartment which holds retails goods. A door frame assembly covers the front of the storage compartment. A cover glass is placed in front of and spaced apart from the transparent electronic display. A series of brackets connect the cover glass and the transparent electronic display to a door frame assembly and cover the gap between the cover glass and the transparent electronic display, masking the region located beyond the brackets.

Systems and methods are provided for a capacitive inventory sensor. A system includes a track configured for retaining items. A first conducting plate is positioned along a portion of the track, and a second conducting plate is positioned in parallel with the first conducting plate along a portion of the track. The second conducting plate is positioned a distance from the first conducting plate, and the second plate is configured to have the items placed on top of the second plate. The system further includes a capacitance sensor configured for connection to the first and second conducting plates, where the capacitance sensor is configured to measure a capacitance between the first and second conducting plates, and where the capacitance varies based on a number of items positioned on the sensor track.

Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for modular vending systems utilizing reloadable product dispensing modules, including, but not limited to, vertical product dispensing modules comprising a vertical conveyor and a mounting structure for releasably engaging with module holder structures of modular vending machines, and a central controller device for communicating with a plurality of modular vending machines.

A system and method for vending digital video discs is provided. A request is received from a user to complete a rental transaction for a first digital video disc. A database is queried to determine whether a quantity of a set of second digital video discs in a vending inventory exceeds a predetermined threshold. A discount offer notification is presented to the user to rent one of the set of second digital video discs, upon determining that the quantity of the set of second digital video discs exceeds the predetermined threshold. A second request from the user to rent one of the second set of digital video discs is received, and one of the set of second digital video discs is vended to the user.

Mechanisms for dispensing items such as medications and medical supplies. Different mechanisms may be tailored to dispensing different kinds of items, for example medications in single dose packages, vials, syringes, or other similarly-shaped items. The dispensers may be placed in a dispensing unit that includes a lockable restock drawer and a dispense drawer into which items are dispensed by the dispensing mechanisms. The various kinds of dispensing mechanisms may be installed in the restock drawer in any workable proportion and arrangement. The dispensing mechanisms include multiple sensing technologies for tracking and inventory of items and for accurate sensing of items as they are dispensed.

A crawler-type automatic vending machine includes a replenishment unit, m transfer units, n container units, a detection and control unit, a cloud management platform and a payment system. The replenishment unit, the transfer units and the container units are connected successively to form an integral crawler-type automatic vending machine, wherein m and n are natural numbers other than 0; when n is equal to 1, m is equal 1; when n is greater than 1, m is equal to n+1; and when n is greater than 1 and m is equal to n+1, the m transfer units and the n container units are connected alternately, and the last unit is the transfer unit. When n is equal to 1 and m is equal 1, the transfer units and the container units are made into an integral structure.

A pickup and delivery or selling apparatus is transportable, and includes: a reserving section in which an article can be reserved; a receiving part in which the article to be reserved in the reserving section is received; a delivering part in which the article is delivered; a plurality of support members each used for supporting the article in the reserving section; a transfer unit configured to transfer the support members each supporting the article between the reserving section and either the receiving part or the delivering part; and an abnormality-managing unit configured to perform a predetermined response to an abnormality occurring in the support members.

The invention is an unmanned kiosk configured to vend goods to consumers, accept and process returned goods from consumers, and replenish goods stored therein in fully autonomous manner.