Patent ID: 8180484
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A dispensing apparatus, comprising: a housing; a chain of bins in the housing; a loading station on the housing for loading the bins with products; a dispensing location on the housing; an entry device for generating a dispense request including information identifying a recipient; a product information reader in the housing adjacent the loading station configured to read product information on products after the products are in the bins; a controller coupled to the entry device and to the reader configured to produce control information in response to information identifying a recipient and the product information; a mechanism coupled to the chain for moving the chain to place a bin at the dispensing location in response to the control information; and, a door mechanism at the dispensing location having a first state blocking access to all bins at the dispensing location and a second state for providing access to the bin at the dispensing location in response to the control information.