A novel food station comprises a plurality of cubbies, each cubby sized to enclose a food portion container, and an externally accessible collection hatch large enough for the food portion container to pass therethrough. A heating system can controllably heat the food portion container within a selected one of the cubbies, independently of an operation of the heating system the other cubbies. A cooling system can perform cooling within a subset of cubbies that includes at least the selected cubby. An internal transport system includes an end effector that temporarily couples to the portion container carrier of the selected cubby and controllably moves the food portion container carrier within the food station to the collection hatch. A control system includes a memory that controls the heating and controls the movement of the internal transport system.

A novel food station comprises a plurality of cubbies, each cubby sized to enclose a food portion container, and an externally accessible collection hatch large enough for the food portion container to pass therethrough. A heating system can controllably heat the food portion container within a selected one of the cubbies, independently of an operation of the heating system the other cubbies. A cooling system can perform cooling within a subset of cubbies that includes at least the selected cubby. An internal transport system includes an end effector that temporarily couples to the portion container carrier of the selected cubby and controllably moves the food portion container carrier within the food station to the collection hatch. A control system includes a memory that controls the heating and controls the movement of the internal transport system.

The present disclosure provides a driving device, a bucket and a vending machine. The driving device comprises a base, a motor arranged on the base, a transmission mechanism in transmission connection with the output shaft of the motor and a power output wheel in transmission connection with the transmission mechanism; the transmission mechanism is configured to drive the power output wheel to rotate and to move from a first position to a second position when the output shaft of the motor rotates in a first preset direction; the transmission mechanism is also configured to drive the power output wheel to move from the second position to the first position when the output shaft of the motor rotates in a second preset direction; wherein the first preset direction is opposite to the second preset direction.

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 receptable 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 receptable 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.

The present invention relates to an auxiliary battery and an auxiliary battery rental device, and the auxiliary battery rental device according to the present invention comprises: a battery port allowing an auxiliary battery to be discharged therefrom or returned thereto; a battery queue in which auxiliary batteries are vertically stacked and loaded; a carrier for discharging an auxiliary battery loaded in the battery queue to the battery port, or loading an auxiliary battery returned to the battery port in the battery queue; a lift for lifting at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; a charging unit for charging at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the rental device such that lending and returning operations of the auxiliary batteries are automatically performed. According to the present invention, lending, returning, charging, and lending of auxiliary batteries can be circularly and automatically performed.

An automatic vending machine includes: a product housing rack including product housing shelves each including a product housing path, and a product discharger; a first stopper configured to be movable between a protrusion position and a retract position, and to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion is positioned at a product discharge port; a second stopper configured to be movable between a retract position and a protrusion position, and to press a vending product when protruding; a link configured to move each of the first and the second stopper to the protrusion and the retract position; and a driver configured to drive the link, wherein the second stopper includes ribs formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.

An automatic vending machine is provided with a storage compartment or the like having a thermally insulating construction in which a number of product columns for accommodating products aligned side-by-side in one column are provided in different levels in such a way that the most downstream products in each product column are aligned side-by-side in a vertical direction, and an in-compartment fan for cooling an internal atmosphere of the storage compartment or the like by blowing air that has been cooled by means of an evaporator disposed in the storage compartment or the like, wherein the automatic vending machine is also provided with a control unit which drives the in-compartment fan for a predefined time if the internal temperature of the storage compartment or the like reaches to or above a predefined reference temperature in a state in which driving of a freezer and of the in-compartment fan are stopped.

An automatic vending machine is provided with a storage compartment or the like having a thermally insulating construction in which a number of product columns for accommodating products aligned side-by-side in one column are provided in different levels in such a way that the most downstream products in each product column are aligned side-by-side in a vertical direction, and an in-compartment fan for cooling an internal atmosphere of the storage compartment or the like by blowing air that has been cooled by means of an evaporator disposed in the storage compartment or the like, wherein the automatic vending machine is also provided with a control unit which drives the in-compartment fan for a predefined time if the internal temperature of the storage compartment or the like reaches to or above a predefined reference temperature in a state in which driving of a freezer and of the in-compartment fan are stopped.

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 receptable 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.