A self-service parcel cabinet, comprising: a main-body part (1), a sorting apparatus (2), a parking apparatus (3), and a control device. The main-body part is a hollow structure opened at the top. At least part of the hollow structure is formed by multiple self-service parcel lockers (11) surroundingly arranged. The parking apparatus is provided on top of the main-body part and comprises a drone landing pad (31). Provided on the drone landing pad is a channel allowing passing of a parcel delivered by the drone and directly facing the opening at the top. The sorting apparatus is provided within the hollow structure, communicatively connected to the control device, and capable of, when a parcel receiving instruction transmitted by the control device is received, receiving according to the parcel receiving instruction a parcel delivered by the drone, and, when a first sorting instruction transmitted by the control device is received, transferring according to the first sorting instruction the receive parcel into a self-service locker of the self-service cabinet.

Provided is a vending machine. The vending machine includes a control device, a cabinet, an item column, and a hopper. The hopper is located between the item column and a pickup port of the cabinet. The hopper includes a receiving bin provided with an opening. The vending machine further includes a detection device. The control device is configured to control the receiving bin to receive the item from the item column at a receiving position based on a purchase instruction from a user, and control the receiving bin to rotate from the receiving position to a first position located between the receiving position and the dispensing position based on the detection result that the item exists at the inlet of the hopper.

Disclosed are a bucket and a vending machine. The bucket is used for the vending machine and includes a shell, a turnover body and a first driving mechanism. The shell has a base plate and the turnover body is provided with a storage cavity, an inlet and an outlet. Both the inlet and the outlet are connected with the storage cavity. The turnover body may be located in a first position and a second position. When the turnover body is located in the first position, the base plate closes the outlet; when the turnover body is located in the second position, the outlet deviates from the base plate and is opened. The first driving mechanism is in transmission connection with the turnover body and is configured to drive the turnover body to switch between the first position and the second position.

A parcel terminal system and method are provided to allow fast loading of parcels on storage space of a parcel terminal.

The present application provides a merchandiser for dispensing a number of products. The merchandiser may include an ambient compartment with a number of ambient product columns with a number of ambient products therein, an X-Y drive device positioned beneath the ambient compartment, and a temperature controlled compartment positioned beneath the X-Y drive device, the temperature controlled compartment including a number of temperature controlled product columns with a number of temperature controlled products therein. The X-Y drive device receives an ambient product from one of the ambient product columns of the ambient compartment and delivers the ambient product to one of the temperature controlled product columns of the temperature controlled compartment.

Provided are a vending machine and a merchandise dispensing method thereof. A merchandise dispensing method comprising: driving the gate to move from a closed position to an open position and driving the receiving bin to rotate from a receiving position to a dispensing position in the case where a bucket containing the commodity for sale is located at a pickup port; when a baffle is inserted into the pickup port, the baffle and the gate move simultaneously, and the spacing between them is always less than or equal to a first preset value.

Apparatuses and methods provide an automated store with a number of product locations and a fetch and delivery bucket that conveys product from a shelf location to a delivery location. Cameras and sensors within the automated store acquire data that may be stored in a remote database and analyzed to improve the reliability of the delivery process. Camera images may also be used to re-position the fetch and delivery bucket in real time, to provide images of actual, available product to consumers via a remote interface, to determine inventory, and to monitor the activities of replenishers and service personnel, and to generally operate the automated store remotely.

A mobile self-vending beverage dispenser is disclosed. In embodiments, the dispenser includes a mobile housing divided into segmented sections. Each segmented section includes an outlet at the bottom for dispensing canned beverages and an access hatch for loading canned beverages into the segmented section. Each segmented section includes a vertical staggered raceway extending from the access hatch the outlet via which the segmented section is loaded with canned beverages, the cans traveling in a gravity-assisted path downward to the outlet for dispensing upon request.

An automatic vending machine includes: a belt conveyor constituting a part of a column configured to store a product, the belt conveyor being able to convey the stored product along the column, and a controller configured to control an operation of the belt conveyor. The controller acquires an amount of movement of a belt of the belt conveyor moving to convey the product. The controller calculates the number of products stored in the column, based on the acquired amount of movement of the belt.

This application relates to the technical field of automatic vending, and provides a vending machine that includes a control device, a measuring device, a bucket, a bucket driving mechanism configured for driving the bucket into motion, and a storage column configured to store items. The control device controls the measuring device to measure a first distance and a second distance, calculates a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and calculates a number of items in the storage column based on the difference.