A dispenser of hygiene products, including feminine pads and tampons activated by a motion sensor. A motion of a person's hand or other object within a given distance from the motion sensor will close an electronic circuit causing a motor to rotate. The motor is attached to a shaft which rotates. The shaft retains a product dispenser. The product dispenser transports one of the hygiene products to a retrieval tray. A time delay reduces the likelihood of or prevents someone from continuously activating the motion sensor to dispense all of the products in the machine.

This disclosure includes a parcel terminal that may include a shelving unit comprising a plurality of shelves that are separated by respective predetermined distances along a dimension of the unit. In an embodiment, the plurality of shelves may be evenly spaced. The parcel terminal may further include a receptacle for receiving a parcel from a user, a loader configured to transfer the parcel from the receptacle to a shelf on the shelving unit, and an electronic controller in electronic communication with the loader. The electronic controller may be configured to determine a number of open shelves required to accommodate the parcel based on a size of the parcel and on the respective predetermined distances, to select a set of shelves having at least the required number of open shelves, and to initiate a movement of the loader so as to place the parcel within the selected set of shelves.

This disclosure includes a parcel terminal that may include a shelving unit comprising a plurality of shelves that are separated by respective predetermined distances along a dimension of the unit. In an embodiment, the plurality of shelves may be evenly spaced. The parcel terminal may further include a receptacle for receiving a parcel from a user, a loader configured to transfer the parcel from the receptacle to a shelf on the shelving unit, and an electronic controller in electronic communication with the loader. The electronic controller may be configured to determine a number of open shelves required to accommodate the parcel based on a size of the parcel and on the respective predetermined distances, to select a set of shelves having at least the required number of open shelves, and to initiate a movement of the loader so as to place the parcel within the selected set of shelves.

A vending machine system adapted to open and prepare a contained food item. The system includes a cabinet, a rack frame supported relative to the cabinet, a shelf coupled to the rack frame and configured to support a contained food item, a lid removal apparatus supported relative to the rack frame, and a food item actuator supported relative to the rack frame. The cabinet includes a refrigerated compartment housing the rack frame and a partition separating and selectively allowing access between the refrigerated compartment and a preparation compartment. The lid removal apparatus is configured to selectively retain a lid of the contained food item. The food item actuator is configured to move a container of the contained food item to the preparation compartment of the cabinet while the lid of the contained food item is retained by the lid removal apparatus subsequent to translation of the container.

Disclosed is a vending machine, including a cabinet, a bucket, a bucket drive mechanism, a first shutter mechanism, a second shutter mechanism, a controller and a storage column; a pickup port is arranged at the surface of the cabinet; the storage column stores the commodities; the bucket includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet receives the commodity to be conveyed from the storage column, and the outlet is butted with the pickup port; the bucket drive mechanism drives the bucket to move in the cabinet; the first shutter mechanism blocks or opens the inlet; the second shutter mechanism blocks or opens the outlet; the controller controls the first shutter mechanism to open the inlet and the second shutter mechanism to block the outlet in the process of commodity to be conveyed entering the bucket. Further disclosed is a commodity conveying method.

An automatic vending machine includes a product housing rack including a plurality of product housing shelves that are disposed in an up-down direction, a plurality of product housing paths corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves, each product housing path being defined in the corresponding product housing shelf and configured to house products, a plurality of product discharge devices corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves and the plurality of product housing paths, each product discharge device being configured to separate and discharge, one by one, the products that are housed in the corresponding product housing path. The product housing shelf includes a front side shelf member and a back side shelf member that are divided in the front-back direction, supported by support members, and detachably coupled with each other so that the front side shelf member is sandwiched by the back side shelf member.

A dispenser of feminine hygiene products, including feminine pads and tampons activated by a motion sensor. A motion of a person's hand or other object within a given distance from the motion sensor will close an electronic circuit causing a motor to rotate. The motor is attached to a shaft which rotates. The shaft retains a feminine product dispenser. The feminine product dispenser transports one of the feminine hygiene products to a retrieval tray. A time delay reduces the likelihood of or prevents someone from continuously activating the motion sensor to dispense all of the products in the machine.

A dispenser of feminine hygiene products, including feminine pads and tampons activated by a motion sensor. A motion of a person's hand or other object within a given distance from the motion sensor will close an electronic circuit causing a motor to rotate. The motor is attached to a shaft which rotates. The shaft retains a feminine product dispenser. The feminine product dispenser transports one of the feminine hygiene products to a retrieval tray. A time delay reduces the likelihood of or prevents someone from continuously activating the motion sensor to dispense all of the products in the machine.

Provided is a belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, in which an associated component other than a belt can be easily and compactly installed. The dispensing mechanism for the article vending machine includes a drive section that is disposed in an article storing shelf 13 and on which articles arranged in a front-rear direction are carried, the drive section being configured to drive based on a vending command, and a belt conveyor unit 57 that sequentially dispenses the articles forward, the belt conveyor unit 57 includes two belt conveyors 71 moving forward and arranged away from each other in a right-left direction, and a detection unit 100 of an article detection device and a gear to drive a rear rotary shaft over which belts of the belt conveyors 71 are looped are arranged between the two belt conveyors 71.

Provided is a belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, in which an associated component other than a belt can be easily and compactly installed. The dispensing mechanism for the article vending machine includes a drive section that is disposed in an article storing shelf 13 and on which articles arranged in a front-rear direction are carried, the drive section being configured to drive based on a vending command, and a belt conveyor unit 57 that sequentially dispenses the articles forward, the belt conveyor unit 57 includes two belt conveyors 71 moving forward and arranged away from each other in a right-left direction, and a detection unit 100 of an article detection device and a gear to drive a rear rotary shaft over which belts of the belt conveyors 71 are looped are arranged between the two belt conveyors 71.