Method and apparatus for positioning an article handling device

An article dispensing device, comprising:

• a housing for defining an internal volume therein, said volume having a dimension along a first axis which has at one end of the dimension an article storage sub-volume, and at an opposing end of the dimension adjacent a dispensing end of the article storage sub-volume, an article dispensing sub-volume;
• an article storage structure positioned in the article storage sub-volume, said article storage structure storing articles in columns along a plurality of longitudinal axes paraxially aligned with the first axis;
• and
• an article dispensing mechanism, including,
• a head adapted to engage and secure to an article stored in the article storage structure;
• a substantially non-compressible tube connecting the head to a source of article securing energy;
• a feeder displacing the tube so as to move the head along the first axis (Z);
• and
• a first positioning device moving the feeder along a second axis different from the first axis;
• wherein
• the article dispensing sub-volume utilizes 25 percent or less of said internal dimension along the first axis of the cabinet.

An article dispensing device, comprising:

• a housing for defining an internal volume therein, said volume having a dimension along a first axis which has at one end of the dimension an article storage sub-volume, and at an opposing end of the dimension adjacent a dispensing end of the article storage sub-volume, an article dispensing sub-volume;
• an article storage structure positioned in the article storage sub-volume, said article storage structure storing articles in columns along a plurality of longitudinal axes paraxially aligned with the first axis;
• and
• an article dispensing mechanism, including,
• a head adapted to engage and secure to an article stored in the article storage structure;
• a substantially non-compressible tube connecting the head to a source of article securing energy;
• a feeder displacing the tube so as to move the head along the first axis (Z);
• and
• a first positioning device moving the feeder along a second axis different from the first axis;
• wherein
• when the first positioning device moves the head along the second axis, the positioning device including the head moves at all times in a portion of said internal dimension that is less than a given percentage of said internal dimension, and the feeder is able to displace the head along the first axis by an amount that is greater than three times the given percentage.