Patent ID: 8490369

Claim:
A system for dispensing items comprising: trays each adapted to support at least one item to be dispensed, the trays being displaceable within a volume when used, the trays each having at least a pair of connector units on opposite edges; a casing comprising a restocking volume receiving trays with items thereon for subsequent storage, a storage volume for accommodating the trays in storage, an outlet for dispensing any selected one of the items on the trays, and an arm to displace trays at least between the restocking volume and the storage volume, and for displacing items from the trays to the outlet, the arm having a grasping tool displaceable in at least three translational degrees of freedom for grasping a single one of the pair of connectors of the trays during manipulation of each said tray within the volume, the restocking volume and the storage volume each have shelves facing each other in the casing, and a transition table in the casing to allow the arm to lay down a bottom of one of said tray on top of the transition table for the grasping tool to switch from one said connector to another said connector on a displaced tray to move said displaced tray between the shelves of the restocking volume to the shelves of the storage volume; at least one user interface; and a controller unit for receiving an identification of each item in the trays when positioned in the restocking volume, and for monitoring a position of each identified item within the trays in the casing to control the actuation of the arm to manipulate the trays within the casing and to dispense items through the outlet as a function of an order entered through the user interface.