A conveyor has multiple successive fixed stops (17), each suitable for holding the empty beverage container (20) in place. A horizontal ladder frame (12) structure lifts the beverage container (20) in sequences above one fixed stop (17) at a time. Multiple lifting motions transport the beverage container (20) through the successive fixed stops (17). The ladder frame (12) structure has plural transverse beams (14) that reciprocate between a flat position and a raised position. The motion from the float position to the raised position ejects the beverage container (20) above the fixed stop (17).

A conveyor has multiple successive fixed stops (17), each suitable for holding the empty beverage container (20) in place. A horizontal ladder frame (12) structure lifts the beverage container (20) in sequences above one fixed stop (17) at a time. Multiple lifting motions transport the beverage container (20) through the successive fixed stops (17). The ladder frame (12) structure has plural transverse beams (14) that reciprocate between a flat position and a raised position. The motion from the float position to the raised position ejects the beverage container (20) above the fixed stop (17).

Device (10) for treating products (100), in particular bakery products, comprising: at least one treating unit (40), comprising at least one storage belt (41) and arranged to process the products (100); at least one dispensing unit (50), comprising at least one storage belt (51) and arranged to dispense the products (100); at least one operating device (20), arranged to transport the products (100); wherein the operating device (20) comprises at least one operating belt (21) and at least one coupling device (30); wherein the operating belt (21) is arranged to store the products (100); wherein the coupling device (30) is arranged to couple the operating belt (21) with a storage belt (41, 51) in order to exchange the products (100) with the coupled storage belt (41, 51), and wherein the operating device (20) comprises at least one operating belt (21) and at least one coupling device (30).

wherein the coupling device (30) comprises at least one drive unit (23) which is arranged to drive at least one storage belt (41, 51) coupled to the operating device (20).

A retail merchandise pusher is configured for sliding along a pusher assembly track. The pusher assembly is mountable to a retail merchandise shelf. The pusher includes a housing, a spring drum rotatably mounted within the housing, and a coil spring mounted to the spring drum. The coil spring is coilable and uncoilable upon rotation of the spring drum. A controller is coupled to a sensor arrangement within the housing. The sensor arrangement has a spring drum sensor for detecting rotation of the spring drum. A direction sensor detects a direction of rotation of the spring drum. An incremental distance sensor detects incremental movement of the pusher. The controller is configured to calculate, based on data from the sensor arrangement, a total distance and direction of travel by the pusher, and to generate an alarm when the pusher travels more than a threshold distance within a predetermined period of time.

A food management system includes a cabinet having a chamber, a lift, and an ejector. The chamber is defined, in part, by a front wall including a chute defining a first end of a dispensing region along the cabinet. At least one lift is disposed within the chamber, and is configured to receive a plurality of containers therein. The lift is operable to sequentially present at least one of the containers to the dispensing region of the cabinet. The ejector includes a bumper disposed within the dispensing region. The bumper is operable to translate through the dispensing region from a retracted position on an opposite side of the at least one lift from the chute, to an extended position between the retracted position and the chute to bias the at least one of the containers from the at least one lift through the chute.

There is provided a product storage device for a vending machine capable of changing the length of each of gaps of a spiral member to store products without replacing the spiral member. The spiral member includes a first spiral member and a second spiral member which have the same rotation axis and a gap of the same length. The position of the first spiral member relative to the second spiral member is the rotating direction is changed to change the length of the gap formed by the first spiral member and the second spiral member.

A vending machine includes a housing defining a product storage compartment for storing products. The housing of the vending machine includes a delivery portal and a front portion having a transparent panel configured to allow a consumer to view the products within the product storage compartment. A row of products is arranged within the product storage compartment. A proximity sensor is arranged within the product storage compartment and corresponds to the row of products. The proximity sensor is configured to detect a hand of a consumer within a predetermined detection distance of the proximity sensor, and a product in the row of products is selected when the hand of the consumer is detected within the predetermined detection distance of the proximity sensor. The vending machine includes a dispensing mechanism configured to convey the selected product to the delivery portal.

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.

Embodiments of the inventive technology may relate to a robotic pill dispensing system, whether puck-based or puck-free, configured to avoid delay during the filling of orders and achieve high, perhaps even maximal, order fill rates and associated processing efficiency. Additional embodiments of the inventive technology may relate to, inter alia, a bottle placement site that is different from a bottle pick-up site, a device configured to apply lodged pill clearance forces to counted pill reserve containers; counted pill reserve containers that are large enough to contain pills required by substantially all orders to be handled by a robotic dispensary; a method of dynamically repositioning medication-dedicated pill counters to increase processing speed and a system configured to facilitate the same; a robotic dispensary configured to allow manual operation when a robot is off-line; and a robotic dispensary configured to cover open, filled vials during transport thereof to prevent pill spillage.