Abstract:
An item dispensing system comprises a cabinet and a plurality of dispensing modules selectively installed in the cabinet. The plurality of dispensing modules include a carousel-type dispensing unit and a helical-type dispensing unit.

Description:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure is directed towards item dispensers. With reference to  FIG. 1 , shown is a portion of an item dispensing assembly  100  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The item dispensing assembly  100  may be used to store and dispense items (not shown). In some embodiments, the items stored and dispensed by the item dispensing assembly  100  may include Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) items. Such items may include, but are not limited to, tools (e.g., power tools, hand tools, etc.), tool accessories (e.g., blades, bits, chucks, batteries, etc.), cleaning supplies, and/or any other type of item that can be used to maintain or repair a device. 
         [0002]    The item dispensing assembly  100  in various embodiments may comprise a cabinet  103 , one or more item dispensing units  106 , and/or other components. As will be discussed in more detail below, one or more items may be stored in each of the item dispensing units  106 . The item dispensing units  106  shown in  FIG. 1  are embodied as carousel-type item dispensing units  106 . In alternative embodiments, alternative types of item dispensing units  106  may be used. As a non-limiting example, multiple helical-type item dispensing units  106  may be installed in the cabinet  103 . In some embodiments, multiple types of item dispensing units  106  may be installed. As a non-limiting example, at least one of the item dispensing units  106  may be a helical-type item dispensing unit  106 , and at least one of the item dispensing units  106  may be a carousel-type item dispensing unit  106 . 
     
    
       [0003]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the item dispensing units  106  are attached to the cabinet  103 . The cabinet  103  may contain and provide structural support for the item dispensing units  106 . Although two item dispensing units  106  are shown installed in the cabinet  103 , one or more item dispensing units  106  may be installed in the cabinet  103  according to various embodiments. As will be described in more detail below, an item dispensing unit  106  in some embodiments may be configured to slide in and out of the cabinet  103  to facilitate stocking the item dispensing unit  106  with items. 
         [0004]    One or more of the cabinets  103  may be positioned on a fixed platform (e.g., a table, desk, floor, etc.), on a portable platform (e.g., a cart, s dolly, etc.), or on any other type of suitable structure. The item dispensing assembly  100  in various embodiments may be modular. In this regard, multiple cabinets  103  having one or more item dispensing units  106  may be positioned in various configurations in order to provide various types of item dispensing systems. For example, multiple cabinets  103  may be stacked vertically. Additionally or alternatively, multiple cabinets  103  may be positioned horizontally with respect to each other. 
         [0005]    The item dispensing assembly  100  may be coupled to at least one computing device (not shown) that controls various functionality of the item dispensing assembly  100 . For example, a user may operate the computing device to identify himself or herself and to request a particular item that is being stored in the item dispensing assembly  100 . Upon the computing device determining that the identified worker is authorized to obtain the item, the computing device may manipulate various components of the item dispensing assembly  100  so that the requested item is dispensed to the user. The computing device may also monitor the inventory of the items that are being stored in and/or have been dispensed by the item dispensing assembly  100 . As such, the computing device in various embodiments may be similar to one or more of the computing devices that are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,180, issued on Aug. 23, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
         [0006]    With reference to  FIGS. 2A-2C , shown are drawings of an example of the cabinet  103  according to various embodiments. In particular,  FIG. 2C  shows a front view of the cabinet  103 ,  FIG. 2A  shows a top view of the cabinet  103 , and  FIG. 2B  shows a side view of the cabinet  103 . 
         [0007]    The cabinet  103  in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C  comprises a top panel  203 , a bottom panel  206 , side panels  209 a- 209 b, a rear panel  213 , and/or other components. Although the top panel  203 , the bottom panel  206 , the side panels  209   a - 209   b , and the rear panel  213  shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C  are embodied as separate components, these components may be a portions of a single component in alternative embodiments. Some embodiments of the cabinet  103  may also include one or more drawers that may slide in and out between the side panels  209   a - 209   b.    
         [0008]    The cabinet  103  may also include one or more handles  216   a - 216   d . The handles  216   a - 216   d  may facilitate a user carrying and moving the cabinet  103  and one or more item dispensing units  106  ( FIG. 1 ) that may be installed in the cabinet  103 . Additionally or alternatively, straps (not shown) may pass through the handles  216   a - 216   d  to fasten the cabinet  103  and one or more item dispensing units  106  to a platform, such as a table, cart, floor, etc. The handles  216   a - 216   d  in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C  are attached to the respective side panels  209   a - 209   b . In alternative embodiments, the handles  216   a - 216   d  may be attached to any other suitable portion of the cabinet  103 . The cabinet  103  may also include an access door  219 . The access door  219  may facilitate a user accessing the interior portion of the cabinet  103 . For example, a user may open the access door  219  to facilitate installing or repairing one or more of the item dispensing units  106  in the cabinet  103 . For instance, the access door  219  may facilitate a user coupling the item dispensing units  106  to a power supply, a data bus, and/or an electronic device, such as a keypad, touchscreen, or any other type of input or output device that facilitates the operation of the item dispensing units  106 . 
         [0009]    The cabinet  103  may also include one or more side channels  223   a - 223   f . The side channels  223   a - 223   f  may provide structural support for the cabinet  103 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C , the side channels  223   a - 223   f  extend from the bottom panel  206  to the top panel  203 . Additionally, the item dispensing units  106  may mount to and be supported by the side channels  223   a - 223   f.    
         [0010]    The cabinet  103  may also include one or more mounting bars  226 . The mounting bar  226  in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C  extends from the bottom panel  206  to the top panel  203  of the cabinet  103 . In various embodiments, one or more mounting brackets  229   a - 229   b  may extend from each of the item dispensing units  106  and attach to the mounting bar  226 . To this end, the mounting bar  226  may include a slot for each of the mounting brackets  229   a - 229   b . The mounting brackets  229   a - 229   b  may be inserted into the respective slots, and a pull pin or other suitable mechanism may be used to retain the mounting brackets  229   a - 229   b  in the slots of the mounting bar  226 . 
         [0011]    With reference to  FIGS. 3A-3B , shown is an example of an item dispensing unit  106 , referred to herein as the item dispensing unit  106   a , according to various embodiments. In particular,  FIG. 3B  is a front view of the item dispensing unit  106   a , and  FIG. 3A  is a top view of the item dispensing unit  106   a . The item dispensing unit  106   a  shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B  is a helical-type item dispensing unit  106   a.    
         [0012]    The item dispensing unit  106   a  may comprise side walls  303   a - 303   b , a front wall  306 , rails  309   a - 309   b , one or more dividers  313   a - 313   e , one or more helical coils  316   a - 316   f , and/or other components The rails  309   a - 309   b  may be attached to the side channels  223   a - 223   f  ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) of the cabinet  103  ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) to mount the item dispensing unit  106   a  to the cabinet  103 . In some embodiments, the rails  309   a - 309   b  are configured to slide with respect to the side walls  303   a - 303   b.    
         [0013]    Thus, when the rails  309   a - 309   b  are mounted to the side channels  223   a - 223   f  of the cabinet  103 , the side walls  303   a - 303   b , in conjunction with the front wall  306 , the dividers  313   a - 313   e , and helical coils  316   a - 316   f , may slide in and out of the cabinet  103 . In some embodiments, the rails  309   a - 309   b  may also be configured to pivot with respect to the side walls  303   a - 303   b . Thus, the side walls  303   a - 303   b , in conjunction with the front wall  306 , the dividers  313   a - 313   e , and helical coils  316   a - 316   f , may be slid out of the cabinet  103  and be pivoted downward with respect to the cabinet  103  to facilitate a user stocking the item dispensing unit  106   a  with items. 
         [0014]    The helical coils  316   a - 316   f  may be used to store and dispense various items. For example, an item may be inserted into a segment of the length of the helical coil  316   a , and the helical coil  316   a  may be rotated about its longitudinal axis to advance the item along the helical coil  316   a  towards the front wall  306 . Upon the item reaching the end of the helical coil  316   a  that is proximate to the front wall  306 , the item may fall to the bottom of the item dispensing unit  106   a . The quantity and sizes of the helical coils  316   a - 316   f  may vary according to various embodiments of the item dispensing unit  106   a . As a non-limiting example, ten helical coils  316   a - 316   f  may be installed in the item dispensing unit  106   a . The dividers  313   a - 313   e  may be positioned between respective ones of the helical coils  316   a - 316   f  to separate the items and the helical coils  316   a - 316   f.    
         [0015]    The front wall  306  of the item dispensing unit  106   a  may comprise a window  319 , a door  323 , and/or potentially other components. The window  319  may be transparent to light to facilitate a user seeing the various items that are stored in the item dispensing unit  106   a . The door  323  may be hinged, for example, to facilitate a user reaching through the front wall  306  in order to obtain an item after it has fallen to the floor of the item dispensing unit  106   a.    
         [0016]    With reference to  FIGS. 4A-4B , shown is another example of an item dispensing unit  106 , referred to herein as the item dispensing unit  106   b , according to various embodiments. In particular,  FIG. 4B  is a front view of the item dispensing unit  106   b , and  FIG. 4A  is a top view of the item dispensing unit  106   b . The item dispensing unit  106   b  shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B  is a carousel-type item dispensing unit  106   b.    
         [0017]    The item dispensing unit  106   b  may include side walls  403   a - 403   b , a front wall  406 , rails  409   a - 409   b , a carousel  413 , a carousel bin cover  416 , and/or potentially other components. The rails  409   a - 409   b  may be attached to the side channels  223   a - 223   f  ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) of the cabinet  103  ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) to mount the item dispensing unit  106   b  to the cabinet  103 . In some embodiments, the rails  409   a - 409   b  are configured to slide with respect to the side walls  403   a - 403   b . Thus, when the rails  409   a - 409   b  are mounted to the side channels  223   a - 223   f  of the cabinet  103 , the side walls  403   a - 403   b , in conjunction with the front wall  406 , the carousel  413 , and the carousel bin cover  416 , may slide in and out of the cabinet  103 . 
         [0018]    The carousel  413  is configured to store and dispense one or more items. To this end, the carousel  413  may have multiple dividers  419  that form bins  423  in the carousel  413 . It is noted that only a subset of the dividers  419  and the bins  423  are labeled in  FIGS. 4A-4B  for the purpose of clarity. The ends of the bins  423  that are proximate to the circumference of the carousel  413  are open, so that items may be inserted into and removed from the bins  423 . 
         [0019]    The carousel bin cover  416  may be a component that is configured to cover at least a portion of at least a subset of the bins  423 . Additionally, the carousel bin cover  416  may have a port  426  that facilitates a user accessing a particular one of the bins  423 . Thus, the carousel  413  may be rotated with respect to the carousel bin cover  416  so that a particular one of the bins  423  is aligned with the port  426 . Thereafter, a user may reach into the particular bin  423  and remove one or more items from the particular bin  423 . 
         [0020]    The front wall  406  of the item dispensing unit  106   b  may include an opening  429 . The opening  429  in the front wall  406  may facilitate a user reaching through the front wall  406  to remove one or more items from one or more bins  423  in the carousel  413 . 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , shown is a portion of an example of the item dispensing assembly  100  according to various embodiments. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , portions of the item dispensing assembly  100  are not shown in order to facilitate a discussion of the installation of the item dispensing units  106  in the cabinet  103 . Although two carousel-type item dispensing units  106   b  are shown installed in the cabinet  103 , it is understood that various types and various quantities of item dispensing units  106  may be installed in the cabinet  103  in alternative embodiments. For example, two helical-type item dispensing units  106   a  may be installed in the cabinet  103 , one helical-type item dispensing unit  106   a  and one carousel-type unit  106   b  may be installed in the cabinet  103 , and/or any other combination of one or more types of item dispensing units  106  may be installed in the cabinet  103  in various embodiments. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , one item dispensing unit  106 b may be positioned in a top portion of the cabinet  103 , and another item dispensing unit  106   b  may be positioned in a bottom portion of the cabinet  103 . The rails  409   a - 409   b  ( FIG. 4 ) of the respective item dispensing units  106  may be fastened to the side channels  223   a - 223   f  of the cabinet  103 . Furthermore, the top item dispensing unit  106  may be attached to the mounting bracket  229   a  ( FIGS. 2A-2C ), and the bottom item dispensing unit  106  may be attached to the mounting bracket  229   b . Thus, the item dispensing units  106  may be fastened to the cabinet  103 . 
         [0023]    Thereafter, multiple cabinets  103  with multiple item dispensing units  106  may be arranged in various configurations. For example, multiple cabinets  103  may be stacked vertically, and/or multiple cabinets  103  may be positioned horizontally with respect to each other. Additionally, various types of mechanisms may be used to attach multiple cabinets  103  together. For instance, if a first cabinet  103  is positioned on top of a second cabinet  103 , a bracket may be fastened to the first cabinet  103  and the second cabinet  103 . Such a bracket may be an “L” bracket that is fastened along the vertical edge between one of the side panels  209   a - 209   b  and the rear panel  213  or between one of the side panels  209   a - 209   b  and the front of the cabinet  103 . Thus, multiple cabinets  103  may be attached to each other. 
         [0024]    It is emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations to set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure.