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US 5,931,340 AGranted
Dispenser incorporating storage and retriever module
AssigneeVertex Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKent Vickers Savage, Richard Mathias Alden, Kenneth John Pfeiffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dispenser is provided comprising a housing, a plurality of storage trays, a retriever module, a user interface, and a controller in communication with the user interface. The controller is operative to cause the retriever module to move towards a selected storage tray in response to a selection signal. Further, a dispensing module is provided comprising a housing arranged to permit insertion of the housing into an existing storage system.
Claims20
A dispenser comprising:
- a housing defining a front end, a rear end, and a primary longitudinal axis extending between said front end and said rear end;
- a plurality of storage trays secured to said housing, each of said storage trays defining a secure condition and an item release condition;
- a retriever module secured to said housing and operative to move in a retrieve direction substantially parallel to said primary longitudinal axis, wherein said retriever module includes at least one engagement member positioned to couple movement of said retriever module in said retrieve direction with movement of a selected storage tray from said secure condition to said release condition;
- a user interface operative to produce a selection signal indicative of an item selection;
- and
- a controller in communication with said user interface, said controller being operative to cause said retriever module to move towards a selected storage tray in said retrieve direction in response to said selection signal.
3 more elements
A dispensing module comprising:
- a housing including a front end, a rear end, a top side, a bottom side, a pair of lateral sides, and a primary longitudinal axis extending from said front end to said rear end, wherein said housing defines a first substantially rectangular cross section perpendicular to said primary longitudinal axis, and wherein said housing is arranged to permit insertion of said housing into a cavity having a second substantially rectangular cross section;
- a plurality of storage trays secured to said housing, each of said storage trays defining a secure condition and an item release condition;
- and
- a retriever module secured to said housing, said retriever module being operative to move in a retrieve direction substantially parallel to said primary longitudinal axis in response to a selection signal, wherein said retriever module includes at least one engagement member positioned to couple movement of said retriever module in said retrieve direction with movement of a selected storage tray from said secure condition to said release condition.
1 more element
A dispenser comprising:
- a storage cabinet comprising a cabinet frame, said cabinet frame defining a plurality of storage compartments;
- and
- at least one dispensing module positioned within a selected one of said plurality of storage compartments;
- wherein said at least one dispensing module comprises
- a housing including a front end, a rear end, a top side, a bottom side, a pair of lateral sides, and a primary longitudinal axis extending from said front end to said rear end, wherein said housing defines a first substantially rectangular cross section perpendicular to said primary longitudinal axis, and wherein said housing is arranged to permit insertion of said housing into a cavity having a second substantially rectangular cross section;
- a plurality of storage trays secured to said housing, each of said storage trays defining a secure condition and an item release condition;
- and
- a retriever module secured to said housing, said retriever module being operative to move in a retrieve direction substantially parallel to said primary longitudinal axis in response to a selection signal, wherein said retriever module includes at least one engagement member positioned to couple movement of said retriever module in said retrieve direction with movement of a selected storage tray from said secure condition to said release condition.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.