Abstract: The present application is directed to a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) in a fulfillment operation, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU. Upon a request from an operator in a replenishment operation, the robot transfers an empty bin to an operator station (such as a replenishing unit). Upon a request from an operator in a purge operation, the robot transfers bins containing the affected items to the operator station. The controller logic further allows certain operations to be prioritized and performed for the replenishment and purge operations.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) in a fulfillment operation, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU. Upon a request from an operator (or other user) in a replenishment operation, the robot transfers an empty bin to an operator station (such as a replenishing unit). The controller logic allows the fulfillment operations to be prioritized over the replenishment operations, in addition to the implementation of other prioritizations.

Abstract: A sterilizing unit for food, pharmaceutical and like products, packaged in rigid or soft containers, includes at least an autoclave adapted to receive, through at least an access door and through a loading/unloading unit, at least a container wherein are arranged packages. Advantageously, the autoclave is vertically arranged and includes internally vertical conveying device designed to be subjected, by a motoring mechanism for loading and unloading them in a step-by-step forward movement through the access door(s) for containers in the form of shelves.