초록 ▼

An article gripper is moved by a robotic transporter in two perpendicular directions within a transport plane between a reference location and ID code reading locations aligned with an access port and storage cells of storage assemblies mounted in doors closing a transport compartment of an automati

An article gripper is moved by a robotic transporter in two perpendicular directions within a transport plane between a reference location and ID code reading locations aligned with an access port and storage cells of storage assemblies mounted in doors closing a transport compartment of an automatic vending machine. The gripper is also moved by the robotic transporter in a direction intersecting the transport plane to insert or withdraw articles carried by the gripper after displacement by incremental amounts from the aligned reading locations to gripping or releasing positions. The foregoing movements of the gripper as well as other related operations are under programmed control of a computer and inputted data from a keypad and card reader to perform merchandising transactions with respect to manufactured articles stored in the doors of the machine as well as to accommodate servicing operations.

대표청구항 ▼

A machine for storing, dispensing and receiving articles, comprising: a cabinet, a transaction port in said cabinet through which the articles are delivered and returned, gripper means for clamping thereto the articles positioned in a predetermined orientation within said port, robotic transport mea

A machine for storing, dispensing and receiving articles, comprising: a cabinet, a transaction port in said cabinet through which the articles are delivered and returned, gripper means for clamping thereto the articles positioned in a predetermined orientation within said port, robotic transport means connected to the gripper means for travel of the clamped articles to and from said port, storage means for establishing a plurality of separate zones respectively receiving the articles therein from said gripper means, and realigning means mounted within one of said zones for restoring articles inserted therein in a misaligned condition with respect to said predetermined orientation of said articles clamped in said gripper means to said predetermined orientation prior to said travel of the clamped articles to another of said zones of said storage means.