Abstract: A dispensing device for single-use articles is provided. In certain embodiments, the dispensing device comprises a wall-mounted unit or fixture that is capable of holding at least different articles and providing those articles to a user. Packaging devices for use and cooperation with the dispensing device are further provided, and various systems for storing and dispensing articles are provided.

Abstract: Vending machines, in particular to vending machines for vending discrete products, such as confectionery (sweets and candies). Described is a vending machine for dispensing discrete products, wherein the vending machine comprises at least one storage container for products to be dispensed and a dispensing assembly in communication with the storage container; wherein the storage container includes a plurality of baffles to support products within the container and direct flow of products from the storage container to the dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly comprises a dispensing cylinder mounted for rotation within the machine and the dispensing assembly includes indexing means adapted to cause stepwise rotation of the dispensing cylinder. Preferably, the indexing means comprises at least one indexing disc associated with the dispensing cylinder and the dispensing assembly further comprises an actuator arm associated with the or each indexing disk, the actuator arm being mounted for reciprocal motion.

Abstract: A medicine feeder includes: an outer rotary body on the outer side to be rotated about a vertical line; an inner inclined rotary body on the inner side to be rotated about an inclined line; and a sorting mechanism and a regulating mechanism operable to align solid medicine pieces carried from the top of the inner inclined rotary body onto an annular upper end surface of the outer rotary body through rotation of the inner inclined rotary body. An upper surface inclined portion of the inner inclined rotary body includes delivery portions sloping downward toward the outer side even at an elevated position and push-up portions not sloping downward toward the outer side, the delivery portions and the push-up portions being formed alternately in the circumferential direction. The push-up portions include projecting portions. The projecting portions are extended to the inner peripheral side of the delivery portions.

Abstract: A twist-tie dispensing assembly for dispensing of loose twist-ties in bulk form comprises a base defining a rear wall and an open front, wherein a flexible portion of the rear wall is configured to elastically deflect through a cut-out provided on the rear wall in a direction from the rear wall toward the open front. A box is mounted to the base, the box defining a back wall and a storage compartment configured to hold twist-ties, the back wall of the base defining a slot exposing the storage compartment to an exterior of the box, wherein the slot is configured to receive at least partially the flexible portion of the rear wall of the base from the exterior of the box toward the storage compartment when the box is mounted to the base.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments wet-on-demand dispensers are disclosed herein. An exemplary dispenser for dispensing wet-on-demand substrates includes a housing, a container for holding a fluid, one or more wetting tips in fluid communication with the container. Each of the one or more wetting tips has a movable valve member. The exemplary dispenser further includes a holder for holding a roll of substrate and the movable valve members are moved as a function of contact with the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for a pill dispenser system. The dispenser system includes a dispenser software application that manages the administration of pills to a patient. The pills can be stored in multiple compartments of a hopper. The hopper includes openings in the bottom of each compartment. A disc below the hopper has openings that correspond to the hopper openings, but are offset, keeping the pills in each compartment. The hopper and the disc move together to index a compartment above a dispensing cup. The hopper moves in the opposite direction, without the disc, creating a dispensing aperture, where a pill is dropped onto an elevator. The elevator lowers the pill and drops it into a dispensing cup.

Abstract: A vending machine system for loading and dispensing pre-baked unpackaged food including a fixed cartridge disposed in a refrigerator of a vending machine, and a transport cartridge adapted to removably attach to the fixed cartridge, the transport cartridge operable for holding trays of unpackaged food and loading the trays of unpackaged food from the transport cartridge into the fixed cartridge, wherein, when the transport cartridge is removably attached to the fixed cartridge, a front opening of the transport cartridge aligns with a front opening of the fixed cartridge, and wherein the rack of the transport cartridge aligns with the conveyor system of the fixed cartridge such that trays of unpackaged food within the transport cartridge can simultaneously be transitioned from the rack to the conveyor system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a first dispenser module with a product holder for holding a plurality of beverage cans and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing one beverage can of the plurality of beverage cans at a time in a dispensing direction from the product holder, wherein the product holder is arranged for holding the plurality of beverage cans with their central axes parallel to said product orientation direction. The dispensing mechanism has a retaining cam that is movable with at least a vector component in the production orientation direction between a retaining position for retaining the plurality of beverage cans and a release position for releasing the beverage cans from the product holder, wherein the retaining cam, in the retaining position, is arranged to be in the path of the top rim or the bottom rim of one of the beverage cans in the dispensing direction.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for automated dispensing of individual medicament portions. The systems can include a housing that encloses a receiving space having a bottom surface. A separation device may be provided and arranged on the bottom surface with at least one channel to receive at least one medicament portion. At least one channel may have an opening facing the receiving space and an opening facing the bottom surface. The opening facing the bottom surface may be associated with a contact area on the bottom surface, over which contact area the medicament portions may be guided upon a movement of separation device. At least one recess may be arranged in the bottom surface outside of the contact area to receive contamination particles present in the container.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for small piece goods, in particular drugs or dietary supplement products, is provided. The storage container includes a housing having a circular cylindrical section, a separating device having a plurality of channels and a base area arranged in the circular cylindrical section of the housing, as well as a retainer. The base area of the separating device is provided with a plurality of depressions and/or elevations, at least in sections, to reduce a possible contact area between the base area and small piece good, the shape and size that is selected in such a way that an electrostatic attraction between small piece goods and the base area is reduced.

Abstract: A refrigerated vending system can conduct automatic purchase transactions. A refrigerated cooler has a refrigerated compartment with a door. An automatic lock selectively locks and unlocks the door, and a door sensor detects when the door closes. A three-dimensional imaging sensor inside the compartment captures a three-dimensional image of the merchandise. A vending transaction controller detects presentation of a method of payment, unlocks the door, determines from the door sensor that the door has been opened and closed, locks the door when it closes, actuates the three-dimensional imaging sensor to capture an updated three-dimensional image of the merchandise after the door closes, determines based on the updated image what refrigerated merchandise was removed while the door was open, and charges the method of payment for the refrigerated merchandise removed.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of wipes dispensing systems, wipes dispensing canisters and wipes dispensing mounting brackets are disclosed herein. An exemplary wipes dispensing system includes a wipes dispensing canister. The wipes dispensing canister includes one of a catch and a latch and a cap. A wall mounting bracket is included. The wall mounting bracket includes an opening for receiving the wipes dispensing canister, a first wall located on the inside of the opening and a second wall located on the inside of the opening. A cap ridge is formed between the first wall and the second wall. The wall mounting bracket further includes one of a catch and a latch. When the wipes dispensing canister is located within the wall mounting bracket, a bottom edge of the cap is located proximate the cap edge.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for drugs or dietary supplement products is provided. The storage container has a separating device including a plurality of channels and a retainer for preventing drugs from slipping into a channel aligned with a dispensing opening. The separating device includes an annular groove and the retainer includes a positioner that engages in the annular groove of the separating device and fixes the retainer vertically. The retainer also includes a retaining section and a holder. The holder secures the retainer against a concurrent rotation with the separating device and aligns the retaining section with the dispensing opening by the holder interacting with a circular cylindrical section of the housing.

Abstract: An example material sheet dispenser includes: a wall portion configured to form a volume; a first end portion comprising one or more sections attached to a first end of the wall portion and configured to cover a first end of the volume; and a second end portion comprising: a dispensing section attached to a second end of the wall portion and configured to cover a second end of the volume opposite the first end of the volume, and the dispensing section having a dispensing aperture configured to permit dispensing of sheets of a wiping material; and a cover section attached to the wall portion and configured to cover the dispensing aperture.

Abstract: A medication dispensing system, comprising one or more medication panels, each having a plurality of docking ports located at a vertical displacement one from another. The medication dispensing system comprises: a plurality of medication container assemblies for storing medication, coupled to the plurality of docking ports; one or more actuators; a gripping assembly, movable vertically by the one or more actuators to a proximate one or more of the medication container assemblies for picking a medication dosage out of the one or more of the medication container assemblies; and a receptacle carrier having a receptacle mount for holding one or more medication receptacles configured to receive the medication dosage.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a prescription medication in a controlled manner is disclosed. The system may include a prescription vial and a corresponding programmable cap. The cap may include an outer cover having an exit aperture, an inner cover having an entrance aperture, and a transport portion having a chute. The cap may also include a control system having a processor. In accordance with a schedule prescribed by a medical professional and programmed into the control system, the control system may dispense medication by moving the chute of the transport portion out of alignment with the entrance aperture and into alignment with the exit aperture.

Abstract: A smart pill dispenser has a cylindrical interior housing portion divided into an upper storage portion, a lower control and dispensing portion, and a removable top. A cylindrical carousel with an open top and bottom has a plurality of spoke walls forming interior pill containers. A hole portion disposed through a bottom wall of the upper wall portion defines a pathway through the housing assembly. A slide assembly leads from the hole to a tray for dispensed pills. A motor coupled to a rechargeable battery and actuator assembly has a shaft coupled to an axle portion of the spoke divider and is designed to laterally rotate the spoke and axle. A computerized control system assembly is communicatively coupled to the motor assembly and a user-control assembly. The user-control assembly is disposed on an outer surface of the housing and is designed to interface with users directly or wirelessly.

Abstract: Dispensers are capable of being used in one orientation for dispensing paper towels upwardly when situated on a countertop and also in a second orientation for dispensing paper towels downwardly when mounted on a wall or other surface. Moreover, the dispensers can be easily modified to present a different finish by installing the desired outer shell components on the dispenser. The dispenser utilizes an inner cartridge adapted to house a stack of interleaved paper towels. The paper towels are urged by a spring toward a dispensing slot situated on a housing surrounding the cartridge. The spring urges the leading paper towel in the stack toward the dispensing slot in either orientation for convenient access to the towel by a user.

Abstract: A modular dispenser includes a cartridge configured to hold a plurality of pills. The cartridge includes an opening through which the at least one pill is configured to pass under an influence of gravity. A dispensing base is configured to removably receive the cartridge. The dispensing base includes a funnel with a funnel inlet proximate the opening of the cartridge and a funnel outlet spaced apart from the funnel inlet. A dispensing assembly is rotatably coupled to the dispensing base. The dispensing base also includes at least one catch configured to receive the at least one pill when the at least one catch is proximate the funnel outlet and to rotate the at least one catch away from the funnel outlet to a position from which the at least one pill is retrievable by a user.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a product storage cabinet having a housing defining a storage compartment for storing a product and a door movably connected to the housing. A product sensor is configured to detect removal of the product from the storage compartment. The vending machine further includes a control assembly configured to control operation of the vending machine. The control assembly includes a support structure, a control unit mounted on the support structure, a transceiver mounted on the support structure, and a power supply mounted on the support structure. The control assembly is configured to receive information from collected by the product sensor to determine an identity of the product removed from the storage compartment.