Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system.

Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system.

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles includes a dispensing outlet, laterally opposed, elongate first and second guide walls defining a singulating channel therebetween, a dispensing path extending through the singulating channel to the dispensing outlet, and a drive system. The drive system includes a belt and a belt actuator operable to drive the belt. The dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed. The singulating channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the singulating channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed. The first guide wall extends laterally across the singulating channel at an oblique angle to vertical to overhang at least a portion of the singulating channel and engage articles conveyed along the singulating channel.

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles includes a dispensing outlet, laterally opposed, elongate first and second guide walls defining a singulating channel therebetween, a dispensing path extending through the singulating channel to the dispensing outlet, and a drive system. The drive system includes a belt and a belt actuator operable to drive the belt. The dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed. The singulating channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the singulating channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed. The first guide wall extends laterally across the singulating channel at an oblique angle to vertical to overhang at least a portion of the singulating channel and engage articles conveyed along the singulating channel.

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 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.

An automatic vending machine includes a cabinet, a plurality of item columns, a pickup port and a delivery apparatus, and the delivery apparatus includes a hopper and a hopper drive mechanism. An item dispensing method of the automatic vending machine includes: determining, according to items to be purchased, all of item combination manners having a lowest number of item dispensing operations as candidate item combination manners; determining all of pickup manners for picking up items in each of the candidate item combination manners; determining all of item dispensing paths in one-to-one correspondence to all of pickup manners of all of the candidate item combination manners; and selecting, from all of the item dispensing paths, an item dispensing path having a highest efficiency as a target item dispensing path, and controlling, based on the target item dispensing path, the hopper to dispense items.

Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate to dispensing and jammed item release techniques. A dispensing system comprises an arrangement of passages; a first device operable to move in a lateral direction along the arrangement of passages; a second device operable to move in a vertical direction along the arrangement of passages; a third device operable to extend or retract into a passage; and a cover operable to move toward and away from the arrangement of passages.

Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate to dispensing and jammed item release techniques. A dispensing system comprises an arrangement of passages; a first device operable to move in a lateral direction along the arrangement of passages; a second device operable to move in a vertical direction along the arrangement of passages; a third device operable to extend or retract into a passage; and a cover operable to move toward and away from the arrangement of passages.