A store includes: a selling apparatus configured to display product information to a user visiting the store and sell a product; and an automatic warehouse configured to store the product sold by the selling apparatus and convey the product to the selling apparatus. The automatic warehouse includes: a shelf including a plurality of belt conveyors provided in tiers, each of the plurality of belt conveyors constituting a shelf plate on which the product is stored; an elevator configured to move up and down with respect to the plurality of belt conveyors and accommodate the product conveyed from a belt conveyor; and a carrying-out mechanism configured to carry the product out of the elevator and move the product toward a take-out port provided in the selling apparatus to take out the product.

A vending machine and an item dispensing method. The vending machine includes: a storage column used to store items; a bucket used to receive an item from the storage column; a first conveying mechanism disposed at the storage column and used to convey the item in the storage column to the bucket; a second conveying mechanism disposed at the bucket and used to convey the item from the storage column to the inside of the bucket; and a controller. The first and second conveying mechanisms are each electrically connected to the controller. The item dispensing method includes controlling the first conveying mechanism to convey an item to the bucket at a first preset speed and controlling the second conveying mechanism to convey the item to the inside of the bucket at a second preset speed, as the item is entering the bucket, the first preset speed being less than the second preset speed.

A lottery ticket dispenser array includes a plurality of separate bins, each bin having a housing with a back side. A circuit board fixed to the back side of the housing to supply power and control functions to the bin. The circuit boards of adjacent bins are rigidly interconnected via complimentary electronic connectors. At each bin, the circuit board is mounted to the back side of the housing with a defined relative degree of movement between the circuit board and the housing in at least a first direction. The rigidly interconnected circuit boards define a rigid structure and one or more of the bins are movable relative to the rigid structure such that the array absorbs misalignment, movement, and size variations between the bins without disconnection of the electronic connectors between the bins.

A vending machine system for loading and dispensing pre-baked unpackaged food including a fixed cartridge disposed in a refrigerator of a vending machine, and a transport cartridge adapted to removably attach to the fixed cartridge, the transport cartridge operable for holding trays of unpackaged food and loading the trays of unpackaged food from the transport cartridge into the fixed cartridge, wherein, when the transport cartridge is removably attached to the fixed cartridge, a front opening of the transport cartridge aligns with a front opening of the fixed cartridge, and wherein the rack of the transport cartridge aligns with the conveyor system of the fixed cartridge such that trays of unpackaged food within the transport cartridge can simultaneously be transitioned from the rack to the conveyor system.

A vending machine has a plurality of dispensing trays, each of which supports a plurality of products and is provided with an interchangeable lower plate coupled to a lower support frame, a plurality of supply channels, a product feeder to feed the products along each supply channel, and a driver to move the product feeder along the supply channel; the drivers are coupled to an interchangeable rear support frame.

A vending machine has a plurality of dispensing trays, each of which supports a plurality of products and is provided with an interchangeable lower plate coupled to a lower support frame, a plurality of supply channels, a product feeder to feed the products along each supply channel, and a driver to move the product feeder along the supply channel; the drivers are coupled to an interchangeable rear support frame.

A storage and dispensing station for a blister packaging machine for drug portions includes a base electrically coupled to the blister packaging machine and configured to dissipate an electrical charge to the blister packaging machine. A storage container is disposed on the base and includes a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions, a cylindrical receiving chamber and a bottom surface. A singulating device is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical receiving chamber and has multiple channels extending along the singulating device and parallel with a rotational axis of the singulating device. The singulating device also includes an electrically conductive coupling and a drive for rotating the singulating device. The singulating device is electrically conductive at least at an outer surface of the singulating device, and the outer surface comes into contact with drug portions. A conductor device provides an electrically conductive coupling between the outer surface and an electrical contact.

A storage and dispensing station for a blister packaging machine for drug portions includes a base electrically coupled to the blister packaging machine and configured to dissipate an electrical charge to the blister packaging machine. A storage container is disposed on the base and includes a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions, a cylindrical receiving chamber and a bottom surface. A singulating device is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical receiving chamber and has multiple channels extending along the singulating device and parallel with a rotational axis of the singulating device. The singulating device also includes an electrically conductive coupling and a drive for rotating the singulating device. The singulating device is electrically conductive at least at an outer surface of the singulating device, and the outer surface comes into contact with drug portions. A conductor device provides an electrically conductive coupling between the outer surface and an electrical contact.

A tablet cassette that inhibits rotation of a rotor when the tablet cassette is not mounted. A plurality of engaged portions are provided, about the axial line of a rotary shaft at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on an annular inner surface region of a bottom wall portion located a predetermined distance away from the rotary shaft. A sliding shaft is disposed in the rotary shaft, slidable in the axial direction, such that the sliding shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is displaced toward a rotor body when the rotary shaft is coupled to a drive shaft and the rotary shaft is displaced toward a bottom wall portion when the rotary shaft is not coupled to the drive shaft. Two or more engaging portions are provided on arm portions provided on the sliding shaft and engage with some of a plurality of engaged portions.

The present technology is directed to a kiosk for storing, displaying, and distributing a plurality of baked products. The kiosk may include, for example, a housing defining a chamber therein and configured to receive a plurality of baked products. The kiosk may include one or more sensors configured to analyze the individual baked products to determine one or more baked unit parameters and adjust one or more baking inputs based on the measured parameters.