An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

A device, system, and method are provided for grinding, dispensing, and packaging a granular material into a receptacle to be obtained by a user. The device can include: a user interface; a canister comprising a dispensing mechanism and a grinder; a packaging system configured to physically manipulate and position a receptacle within the device, thereby eliminating the need for manual handling by the user; a receptacle-storage configured to house a plurality of receptacles and from which the packaging system can obtain a receptacle; a capping station configured to apply a covering onto a filled receptacle to prevent spillage and waste; an inventory database to store inventory information; a communication system to facilitate internet connectivity; and a recommendation system to recommend various recipes to the user. The description also discloses a system of interconnected kiosks for automatically grinding, dispensing, and packaging granular materials.

A device, system, and method are provided for grinding, dispensing, and packaging a granular material into a receptacle to be obtained by a user. The device can include: a user interface; a canister comprising a dispensing mechanism and a grinder; a packaging system configured to physically manipulate and position a receptacle within the device, thereby eliminating the need for manual handling by the user; a receptacle-storage configured to house a plurality of receptacles and from which the packaging system can obtain a receptacle; a capping station configured to apply a covering onto a filled receptacle to prevent spillage and waste; an inventory database to store inventory information; a communication system to facilitate internet connectivity; and a recommendation system to recommend various recipes to the user. The description also discloses a system of interconnected kiosks for automatically grinding, dispensing, and packaging granular materials.

A device dispenses scented granules into a trash receptacle that has a least a side wall. An enclosure for holding the scented granules therein has at least a top end, a bottom end, a front wall, a rear wall, and includes at least one discharge opening in the rear wall and a refill opening proximate the front wall at the top end thereof. At least one conduit standoff projects away from each discharge opening and is adapted for fixing with the side wall of the trash receptacle. A portion control structure is fixed within the enclosure proximate the top end and cooperative therewith to segregate a portion of the scented granules when the enclosure is in an inverted orientation, and to deliver the segregated scented granules through a delivery conduit to the at least one discharge opening and conduit standoff when the enclosure is in an upright orientation.

The present disclosures provides a dispensing device, comprising: a feeder portion configured to couple with a reservoir portion storing a material to be dispensed and to receive the material from the reservoir portion; a first rotatable gate disposed at an end of the feeder portion opposite the reservoir portion; an adjustable-volume measuring chamber disposed at an outlet side of the first rotatable gate; and a second rotatable gate disposed at an end of the adjustable-volume measuring chamber opposite the first rotatable gate. Each of the first and second rotatable gates are rotatable between open and closed position to permit or prevent the flow of material to be dispensed. The configuration of two rotatable gates ensure that only a desired amount/volume of the material to be dispensed can enter the adjustable-volume measuring chamber and be subsequently dispensed. A method of operating the dispensing device is also disclosed.

The present disclosures provides a dispensing device, comprising: a feeder portion configured to couple with a reservoir portion storing a material to be dispensed and to receive the material from the reservoir portion; a first rotatable gate disposed at an end of the feeder portion opposite the reservoir portion; an adjustable-volume measuring chamber disposed at an outlet side of the first rotatable gate; and a second rotatable gate disposed at an end of the adjustable-volume measuring chamber opposite the first rotatable gate. Each of the first and second rotatable gates are rotatable between open and closed position to permit or prevent the flow of material to be dispensed. The configuration of two rotatable gates ensure that only a desired amount/volume of the material to be dispensed can enter the adjustable-volume measuring chamber and be subsequently dispensed. A method of operating the dispensing device is also disclosed.

A nut dispenser device for dispensing nuts is provided. The nut dispenser device comprises a hollow support structure having a top side, a bottom side, and an open front side. A nut holder housing is pivotally connected to the support structure with the nut holder housing having a back door pivotally connected to the nut holder housing near a top of the nut holder housing. A spring mechanism is positioned between the support structure and the nut holder housing with the spring mechanism biasing the nut holder housing in a generally upward direction. A nut collection base is mounted to the bottom side of the support structure. As the back door of the nut holder housing opens and the nuts are dispensed therethrough, and into the nut collection base by gravity for retrieval by the user.

A gravity-feed dispensing system includes a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense. A hopper identifier encodes an identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A valve of a gravity feed dispenser is operable by an actuator assembly between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper into a consumer receptacle. A controller is configured to receive an indication of a dispense of bulk material from the hopper and to receive the identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A retail endpoint is configured to receive the indication of a dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper and configured produce a sale indicator from the indication of the dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper.

A gravity-feed dispensing system includes a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense. A hopper identifier encodes an identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A valve of a gravity feed dispenser is operable by an actuator assembly between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper into a consumer receptacle. A controller is configured to receive an indication of a dispense of bulk material from the hopper and to receive the identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A retail endpoint is configured to receive the indication of a dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper and configured produce a sale indicator from the indication of the dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper.