A bulk food weighing and processing system wherein a digital scale is uniquely configured and positioned to weigh and process individual portions of bulk food, uniquely designed and positioned to fit into a bulk food dispensing system. The system then prints a uniquely shaped and treated sticky, digitally-coded thermal-paper receipt which is used to seal a customer's portable container. The sticky receipt then aids customer checkout by providing digitally coded data about the food portion. In most embodiments, the digital scale is a strain gauge scale positioned between a gravity bin's hopper and its mounting bracket, such that it can detect and process a customer's individual food portion once dispensed. The food portion's weight measurement is then transmitted through a controller to a thermal printer which prints a digitally-coded sticky bag tag receipt, which both seals the customer's portable food container and which can be read at checkout to facilitate payment and inventory processes.

A rack assembly for storing and dispensing spices is disclosed. The rack assembly comprises a base, a spindle couple to the base, a plurality of rods coupled to the spindle, a plurality of platforms mounted on the spindle, and a plurality of containers. Each container is placed on the platform and coupled to the rod. Each container comprises a wheel provided within. The wheel is coupled to the rod. Each rod is actuated to operate the wheel to dispense spices stored in the container. The rack assembly comprises a control unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of rods. The control unit is used to select an amount of the spice required. After selecting, the control unit instructs the rod to actuate and to operate the wheel to dispense the spice stored in the container.

A rack assembly for storing and dispensing spices is disclosed. The rack assembly comprises a base, a spindle couple to the base, a plurality of rods coupled to the spindle, a plurality of platforms mounted on the spindle, and a plurality of containers. Each container is placed on the platform and coupled to the rod. Each container comprises a wheel provided within. The wheel is coupled to the rod. Each rod is actuated to operate the wheel to dispense spices stored in the container. The rack assembly comprises a control unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of rods. The control unit is used to select an amount of the spice required. After selecting, the control unit instructs the rod to actuate and to operate the wheel to dispense the spice stored in the container.

The disclosure relates to integrated systems for dispensing, weighing, identifying, processing, and/or printing tag identifiers for items (e.g., bulk food items). In one embodiment, a storage system includes one or more storage bins configured to store one or more bulk foods. The storage system further includes a kiosk. The storage system further includes a sensor attached to or positioned adjacent to each storage bin of the one or more storage bins. Each sensor is configured to monitor a movement of a respective storage bin. Additionally, each sensor is configured to transmit a notification or signal to the kiosk identifying the movement of the respective storage bin. Further, the kiosk is configured to receive the notification or signal from the sensor and automatically print a label identifying a bulk food stored in the respective storage bin.

An apparatus for providing two laundry compositions, a detersive composition (which is used to form a wash liquor in a main wash cycle) and a rinse cycle benefit agent (such as a fabric conditioner) on command, for example in a user's home.

An apparatus for providing two laundry compositions, a detersive composition (which is used to form a wash liquor in a main wash cycle) and a rinse cycle benefit agent (such as a fabric conditioner) on command, for example in a user's home.

There is disclosed a dispenser 10 for dispensing product objects, comprising: a main chamber 20 for storing product objects; and a portion dispensing mechanism for dispensing a portion comprising a plurality of project objects 40. The portion dispensing mechanism comprises a gate arrangement 36 and a collection chamber 24 which are configured for relative linear movement between a loading configuration and a dispensing configuration. In the loading configuration a plurality of product objects 40 within the main chamber 20 collect within the collection chamber 24 and the gate arrangement 36 prevents product objects 40 from being dispensed from the collection chamber 24. In the dispensing configuration the gate arrangement 36 prevents product objects within the main chamber 20 from entering the collection chamber 24 and a plurality of product objects are dispensed from the collection chamber.

A gravity-feed dispenser is connected to a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense. The gravity-feed dispenser includes a spout and a valve separating the hopper from the spout. An actuator assembly is connected to the valve and includes a detectable element. The actuator assembly is operable to move the valve between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper out of the spout. A fixture is configured to engage and support the gravity feed dispenser. A sensor is connected to the fixture and is positioned relative to the actuator assembly. The sensor operates to detect the detectable element of the actuator assembly and produce a signal indicative of the open condition or the closed condition.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.