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US 2011/0215109 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for non-linear dispensing of specific items on demand
OwnerVern M. Baileyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for secure, rapid, storage and dispensing of varied items from a random location in a storage matrix. Drawers are organized in a ‘slice’ or vertically-oriented frame that supports horizontal shifting of the drawers to dispense their contents. Slices can be combined to form matrices of automated, high-density, storage volumes and storage can coincide with dispensing.
Claims21
A system for the storing and dispensing of items, said system comprising:
- a plurality of drawers arranged in a horizontal row;
- a plurality of said horizontal rows vertically stacked to form a slice of drawers;
- and
- a sliding mechanism permitting at least one of said plurality of drawers to slide along the direction parallel to the long axis of said horizontal row, opening a dispensing path through said slice of drawers for a selected first item stored in a selected drawer to exit said system by non-contact force.
1 more element
7a. The system of claim 5 wherein said motor is a linear motor.
A method for storing and dispensing items in a dispenser comprising a plurality of drawers, comprising the steps of:
- placing an item to be stored in said dispenser in a random location within said dispenser;
- associating said item to be stored with said random location;
- identifying an item to be dispensed;
- locating said item to be dispensed in said dispenser;
- and
- shifting at least one of said plurality of drawers based on location of said item to be dispensed, whereby said item to be dispensed is permitted to exit said dispenser by non-contact force.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.