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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7356980 | Automated method for packaging food An automated food processing system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispens... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7344742 | Lollipop manufacture Apparatus (1) and process for the manufacture of lollipops in which lollipops (3) are transferred from a substantially horizontal condition in a hopper (4), to a substantially vertical condition in a stick retainer (7) prior to placement ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7337594 | Food dispensing device and method An automated food processing system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispens... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7303776 | Automated food processing system and method An automated food processing system and method that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, such as an individual portion-sized container. The system includes separate automated modules for dispensing, frying and packaging the food. ... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7263953 | Automatic pet trainer This invention relates to an integrated automatic device for training and feeding a pet, which also functions as a play mate while the owner is absent or otherwise engaged. A toy holder, when actuated by an ejector, throws a toy placed therein to a predetermined dis... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7228200 | Apparatus, system and methods for dispensing products Products are dispensed from a dispensing apparatus in which products marked with transaction information are received in a chain of bins. In response to control information synthesized from transaction information on the products in the bins and a dispense request, ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7216776 | Child-resistant pill dispenser A child-resistant dispenser for dispensing items, including a chassis (12) having a reservoir (40) for holding items (16) and a conveyor (14) including a conveyor pocket (18) for receiving an item (16a). The conveyor ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7204092 | Ice cube making device for refrigerators An ice-cube making device for use in a refrigerated cabinet is provided. The ice-cube making device is attachable to a freezer liner and thus makes efficient use of the space in the freezer cavity. The ice-cube making device includes a mechanism for extracting ice b... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7180702 | Data cartridges handler including a ring-shaped carousel and a picker within the inner periphery of the carousel A data cartridge handling apparatus comprises a ring-shaped carousel (40) rotatably mounted within a housing (22). Cartridge-accommodating cells (52) are angularly arranged about the carousel between an inner periphery (48) and an outer p... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7140608 | Bill box for bill acceptor A bill box used in the bill receiver of a coin exchanger for accommodating banknotes received by the bill receiver is disclosed to have a gate installed in the first chamber thereof and a driving mechanism controllable to move the gate between two positions to close... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7032776 | Vending machine bucket drive control The disclosed invention is a dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing product from a vending machine. The invention employs a motor for bi-directionally rotating a dispenser bucket between two bumpers which physically obstruct and limit the rotational travel, ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7013657 | Ice maker An ice maker is capable of efficiently making and removing ice cubes. The ice maker includes first and second pulleys which are installed to be spaced apart from each other. A drive unit rotates the first and second pulleys. An ice making conveyor is wrapped around ... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6960157 | Automated system and method for handling food containers An automated food processing system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispens... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6945427 | Self-learning depth logic for multi-depth vendor control The disclosed invention is a dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing product from a vending machine. The invention employs a product vend detector to sense when products are dispensed. A controller compares the occurrences of products actually dispensed to th... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6799413 | Apparatus and methods for filling containers with pills There is provided an automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers. The packaging apparatus includes a plurality of independently rotatable rotary slats. Each rotary slat includes an outer peripheral edge po... | 10/05/2004 |
| 6439423 | Vending machine having a commodity discharge apparatus excellent in theftproofness In a commodity discharge apparatus for a vending machine, an endless chain (2) extends on a vertical plane to form an endless loop and is engaged with a first and a second sprocket (1a, 1b) which are spaced from each other in a horizontal direction. The e... | 08/27/2002 |
| 5791514 | Motorized candy dispenser A dispenser having a housing for dispensing candies therefrom and having a rotatable raceway therein with a plurality of turntables disposed within the housing and on the raceway, with each of the turntables including a compartment sized to accommodate a ... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5460294 | Single dose pharmaceutical dispenser subassembly A subassembly for use in a computerized medicine dispensing station is disclosed. The station has a cabinet for housing openable drawers in stacked arrangement containing dispensable pharmaceutical items. The subassembly includes a drawer having a base pl... | 10/24/1995 |
| 5449091 | Carousel apparatus for handling data storage cartridges An improved carousel apparatus for use in carousel-type magnetic tape library systems and the like, including a cylindrical magazine carried by a rotatable turntable. The turntable includes a sprocket wheel that is engaged by a drive belt or chain connect... | 09/12/1995 |
| 5402911 | Reconfigurable article dispenser A multi-station article dispensing apparatus for use in a "merchandiser" game of skill or chance has a plurality of delivery/display stations juxtaposed along an axle. Each station includes a cradle wheel rotating freely about the axle and loaded from a g... | 04/04/1995 |
| 5224415 | Frozen food storage and dispensing system A system for and method of storing and automatically dispensing predetermined amounts of one or more food products from closed containers is described. The system preferably includes multi-compartment containers carried by a carrousel assembly and moved b... | 07/06/1993 |
| 5150817 | Methods and apparatus for dispensing articles A vending apparatus for use in a hotel to vend a plurality of articles comprises a housing having vertical, substantially cylindrical access doors providing access in each of a plurality of vending units to a vended article. The vendee will actuate a hand... | 09/29/1992 |
| 5020959 | Adjustable shutter for containment of electrical components in tape feeders A feeder mechanism for a pick-and-place machine with an adjustable shutter mechanism is disclosed. The components are contained within pockets formed in a reeled tape. The shutter mechanism includes a pair of spring blades that cover the pocket, but are s... | 06/04/1991 |
| 4893727 | Automated retail service delivery system An automated delivery system includes a unitary wheel assembly having a plurality of horizontally disposed tiers each supporting a plurality of radially extending product bins. Electronic control components including customer interfacing devices, regulate... | 01/16/1990 |
| 4846367 | Device for storing and dispensing objects A device for storing and dispensing objects the a plurality of superposed annular magazines constituting a cylindrical structure which is rotatable about an axis by a stepper motor or the like. An object extraction control member is disposed at each level... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4690302 | Package and apparatus for dispensing electrical connectors A package for connectors and an apparatus for dispensing them. The package comprises an elongated tape or pair of tapes and a plurality of an elongated connector containing tubes secured to and extending across the tape or tapes. The apparatus comprises a... | 09/01/1987 |
| 4657158 | Device for feeding electronic components packed in tape to a pick-up position A device for feeding electronic components packed in tape to a pick-up position, comprising a housing with a holder or a supply reel, a feeding and locking mechanism, an ejection mechanism, and a wind-up mechanism, which mechanisms are united with the hou... | 04/14/1987 |
| 4624613 | Self-service apparatus for serving foods or drinks A self-service apparatus is provided to be operated by a user for selectively serving foods or drinks. The self-service apparatus includes a support and a cover fixedly supported by the support for covering foods and drinks. A shaft is suspended from the ... | 11/25/1986 |
| 4576591 | Medicament implant applicator The present invention relates to a pistol grip implanter device adapted for insertion of a solid or semi-solid pellet form medicament into a domestic animal, associated with a hub for an encasement containing a multiplicity of dosage unit pellets of the m... | 03/18/1986 |
| 4543143 | Process and apparatus for the covering of playing balls A process and apparatus for the covering of playing balls, in particular tennis balls, utilize two essentially dumbbell-shaped cover parts and apply the parts interlockingly at an angle of 90°, successively to the adhesive coated ball core by rolling ove... | 09/24/1985 |
| 4531938 | Medicament implant applicator The present invention relates to an implanter device adapted for insertion of a solid or semi-solid pellet form medicament into a domestic animal, and to an encasement containing a multiplicity of dosage unit pellets of the medicament. The encasement is s... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4458802 | Renting of articles and machine thereof A method of renting an article to a patron by the patron presenting a hire token to a renting machine for recognition and energizing of an article selection circuit; the article selection circuit being energized until stopped by the patron when a desired ... | 07/10/1984 |
| 4340152 | Method and apparatus for removing the contents of flexible or collapsible containers Apparatus and method are disclosed for quickly, efficiently and with minimum human contact removing the contents of flexible or collapsible containers, for example, frozen blood from the plastic pouches in which it is collected from human donors. The cont... | 07/20/1982 |
| 4212412 | Turntable article holder with ejector A game employing a gun capable of emitting a light beam can be played using a target apparatus which ejects objects each time this apparatus is approximately actuated by a light beam. The target apparatus includes a turntable which is capable of being rot... | 07/15/1980 |
| 4176762 | Drive system for rotary merchandise carriers An improved drive system for a merchandising machine having a plurality of removable modules each including an upper and a lower rotary merchandise carrier adapted to be driven successively to position the compartments thereof adjacent to an escrow mechan... | 12/04/1979 |
| 4159783 | Selector-dispenser of flat key blanks A key blank selector-dispenser comprises a drum having a central axis aperture and several series of radial cells for receiving magazines of key blanks and contained in respective radial planes of the cylinder. The drum is rotatable by an electric motor h... | 07/03/1979 |
| 4017003 | Article dispensing machine An article dispensing machine, of the type which has a conveyor including holders provided with a multiplicity of open-ended cavities for receiving the articles to be dispensed and for dispensing them by gravity discharge on tilting of the holders, is pro... | 04/12/1977 |