Patent ID: 6202888
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
An automated system for performing vend operations on articles selected by a purchaser, said system comprising:a storage section arranged to store articles to be dispensed;a vend section to which a purchased article is transferred from said storage section;a vend-destined section adjacent said storage section and a vend mechanism associated with said vend-destined section to rapidly move a given article from said vend-destined section to said vend section;a helical transfer member holding said articles in said storage section and being rotatable in a dispensing direction to transfer said given article from a position adjacent said vend-destined section to said vend-destined section, and being rotatable in a reverse direction opposite said dispensing direction;a driver coupled to said helical transfer member and actuable to rotate said helical transfer member in either said dispensing direction or said reverse direction;a controller operable during each vend operation to control said driver to first rotate said helical transfer member in said dispensing direction by a first amount until said given article is fully transferred to said vend-destined section and to then rotate said helical transfer member in said reverse direction by a second amount until an article immediately following said given article is securely held in said storage section.