Automated dispenser for garments and other articles and associated methods

A dispenser for storing and dispensing a plurality of items, the dispenser comprising:

• a cabinet;
• a plurality of storage cells located in the cabinet and organized in a plurality of linear rows of storage cells, each of the plurality of storage cells extending vertically from a lower end of the cabinet toward an upper end of the cabinet, having a generally vertical axis, and configured for storage of a respective vertical stack of items having a respective topmost item, wherein the topmost item from each of the plurality of storage cells is at a common vertical position relative to a base of the cabinet and atop the respective vertical stacks of items;
• at least one dispensing outlet;
• an article delivery system configured to retrieve the topmost item from at least two of the plurality of storage cells, where the at least two of the plurality of storage cells are in different linear rows of storage cells, and deliver the topmost items to the dispensing outlet, the article delivery system including a plurality of pickers equal in number to the plurality of linear rows of storage cells and a plurality of gantries equal in number to the plurality of pickers, wherein each of the plurality of pickers is positioned proximate the upper end of the cabinet and movably mounted to a respective one of the plurality of gantries that extends across a respective linear row of storage cells, wherein the plurality of gantries are disposed superjacent to the common vertical position, and wherein the plurality of pickers is operable simultaneously to retrieve the topmost items from the at least two of the plurality of storage cells in different linear rows of storage cells;
• a user interface unit accessible to a user of the dispenser;
• and
• an on-board processing unit configured to control the article delivery system, the on-board processing unit being in electrical communication with the article delivery system and the user interface unit.