Product dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A product dispensing apparatus includes a gathering conveyor and a plurality of product dispensers for dispensing items onto the gathering conveyor, the plurality of product dispensers including a first subset of product dispensers and a second subset of product dispensers, the first subset and the second subset have at least one common product dispenser. First and second relays are coupled to the first and second subset of product dispensers, respectively; simultaneously energizing the first and second relay actuates at least one of the product dispensers. The product dispensers are arrayed in a matrix for dispensing products, the matrix of product dispensers having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, corresponding the first and second subset. At least one of the product dispensers is a cartridge dispenser including a solenoid, stop gate and a stripper, the stop gate being moveable between a first and second position for retaining cartridges in the first position and releasing a first cartridge in the second position, the stop gate and the stripper retaining a second cartridge as the first cartridge is released. The apparatus includes a programmable logic controller for engaging the solenoid to dispense products upon defined order zones, separated by buffer zones, on the conveyor and a central control computer coupled to the programmable logic controller for establishing a sequence for dispensing products from the product dispenser matrix.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.