Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: One variation of a system includes: a population of trays storing product units; a dispensing unit configured to dispense product units from the population of trays; a mobile robotic system; and a controller. The mobile robotic system includes: a receptacle configured to support a base and a first sidewall of a semi-rigid container transiently loaded in the receptacle at an angle; and a sidewall retainer configured to retain a second sidewall of the semi-rigid container. The controller is configured to: trigger the mobile robotic system to navigate to a dispensing unit loaded with a tray transiently storing product units of a product type specified in an order; trigger the mobile robotic system to maneuver the receptacle to locate the semi-rigid container to receive the product unit at a target position; and trigger the dispensing unit to dispense the product unit into the semi-rigid container.

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a plurality of storage units for storing one or more trays comprising one or more items; one or more dispense conveyors for lifting and dispensing at least one of the one or more items into one or more receiving units; and a shuttle comprising one or more tray retrieval mechanisms, wherein the shuttle is (a) movable relative to the plurality of storage units and (b) configured to (i) pick at least one tray of the one or more trays using the one or more tray retrieval mechanisms and (ii) transport the at least one tray to the one or more dispense conveyors.

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a tray comprising one or more lanes and one or more openings disposed on a bottom surface of the tray; one or more supports positioned within at least one of the one or more lanes, wherein the one or more supports are configured to support one or more items; and one or more dispensing units comprising one or more dispensing arms, wherein the one or more dispensing arms are configured to (i) couple to, engage with, or lift the one or more supports and (ii) transport (a) the one or more supports, (b) the one or more items on the one or more supports, or (c) both the one or more supports and the one or more items to one or more receiving areas or receiving units.

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a plurality of storage units for storing one or more trays comprising one or more items; one or more dispense conveyors for lifting and dispensing at least one of the one or more items into one or more receiving units; and a shuttle comprising one or more tray retrieval mechanisms, wherein the shuttle is (a) movable relative to the plurality of storage units and (b) configured to (i) pick at least one tray of the one or more trays using the one or more tray retrieval mechanisms and (ii) transport the at least one tray to the one or more dispense conveyors.

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).

Abstract: Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance).