A pedal-operated vending machine includes a housing defining a product storage area and a delivery portal. The vending machine further includes a dispensing mechanism configured to convey a product in the product storage area to the delivery portal. Vending machine may further include a pedal arranged on a lower end of the housing and configured to be operated by a foot of a consumer to actuate the dispensing mechanism to move the product from the product storage area to the delivery portal.

Disclosed is a cloud-based resource and information tracking system for medical patients and healthcare providers. The cloud-based software system integrates all or many sources of patient medical and health information, updates the information in near real-time, and makes the data available to member(s) of the patient's healthcare team securely.

A product storage column for a dispensing machine includes a first member having a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The first member includes a first side wall opposing a second side wall, and both side walls extend from a back wall toward a front plane opposite the back wall. The side walls, the back wall, and the front plane cooperate to define a product space therewithin. The product storage column also includes a second member rotatably coupled to the first side wall and selectively positionable relative to the first member between an opened position and a closed position. The first member is sized to receive a product through the front plane into the product space when the second member is in the opened position, and the second member is sized to prevent movement of the product through the front plane when the second member is in the closed position.

A product storage column for a dispensing machine includes a first member having a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The first member includes a first side wall opposing a second side wall, and both side walls extend from a back wall toward a front plane opposite the back wall. The side walls, the back wall, and the front plane cooperate to define a product space therewithin. The product storage column also includes a second member rotatably coupled to the first side wall and selectively positionable relative to the first member between an opened position and a closed position. The first member is sized to receive a product through the front plane into the product space when the second member is in the opened position, and the second member is sized to prevent movement of the product through the front plane when the second member is in the closed position.

An enhanced ejection device (10) for an automatic dispenser (12) of the automatic vending machine type, suitable for being incorporated in said automatic vending machine and applied to a shelf (14) subdivided into seats or channels (28) defined by opposing separator elements or shoulders (26) internally to which there are accommodated products of different types, the device comprising product handling and ejection means (27) for handling and ejecting the product from said seats or channels, and said handling and ejection means (27) being quickly couplable with/decouplable from the shelf (14).

An enhanced ejection device (10) for an automatic dispenser (12) of the automatic vending machine type, suitable for being incorporated in said automatic vending machine and applied to a shelf (14) subdivided into seats or channels (28) defined by opposing separator elements or shoulders (26) internally to which there are accommodated products of different types, the device comprising product handling and ejection means (27) for handling and ejecting the product from said seats or channels, and said handling and ejection means (27) being quickly couplable with/decouplable from the shelf (14).

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.

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.