| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100121481 | AUTOMATED SELF-STORAGE SYSTEM - An automated self storage facility which stores individual items in movable storage units and/or storage containers which are stored throughout the storage facility. Limited users access to the facility is provided at predesignated locations. The users container is transported between its storage location and the access location by the automated robotic system within the facility to provide efficient handling, storage and retrieval of goods in a storage facility. A central control system maintains a record container location throughout the facility. Upon request the system retrieves a container and delivers it. The containers may be partitioned such that a single container may have multiple compartments. In this case the automated system maintains a record of compartments and appropriately orients the container at the access location upon retrieval. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20110044792 | Facility And Method For Interment And Automated Retrieval Of Interred Subjects - An interment method and facility for interment and automated retrieval and visitation of interred subjects. The facility includes an interment area for holding the interred subjects, at least one visitation area for visitor access to a selected one of the interred subjects, a system retrieval mechanism for transporting the selected interred subject between the interment area and the visitation area, and a facility management system providing automated control of interment, visitation, and transport therebetween. Identification information for, and a location of, the interred subjects held in the interment area are recorded. A sensory system reads identification information associated with each interred subject, monitoring location and orientation. A request is received by a visitor, as programmed into a facility management system, for visitation of a selected interred subject. The selected interred subject is retrieved, by a system retrieval mechanism, from the interment area, and is transported to a visitation area. | 02-24-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090308885 | Modular gravity feed storage and dispensing assembly - A modular gravity feed storage and dispensing assembly including a dispenser having a plurality of spaced vertically disposed panels with a ramp assembly disposed between adjacent vertically disposed panels whereby a chute is provided between each of the adjacent panels for defining a travel path to guide articles traveling therealong between adjacent panels. The ramp assembly is slightly inclined so as to allow cylindrical articles to be rollingly advanced by means of gravity from an upper portion between the panels in the chute to a lower portion, and a removal area is disposed proximate the lower portion of the chute for allowing selective removal of one or more of the articles from the dispenser. A parallel pair of spaced and horizontally disposed elongated shelf bars are supported on opposite ends and provide front and rear dispenser support bars, and corresponding spaced front and rear support saddles depend downwardly from the dispenser and are positioned to respectively register over and engage the front and rear support bars instead of supporting the dispensers on a conventional shelf. Each ramp assembly includes a central raised ramp surface running with the chute for engagement with a rolling article to be dispensed, and side relief channels are provided on opposite sides of the ramp surface to receive annularly protruding end rims of an article, such as a can, rolling down the ramp surface whereby side surfaces of the article will remain in rolling contact with the ramp surface. Each vertically disposed panel of the dispenser is unitarily molded as a subassembly with a horizontally extending ledge which provides the entire ramp assembly. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20100096401 | Modular article storage and dispensing assembly - A modular article storage and dispensing assembly which includes a side-by-side series of article dispensers for storing and advancing articles for removal. A series of support shelves are positioned end-to-end and supported from upright supports and each shelf section includes at least two spaced and horizontally disposed elongated parallel shelf bars supported on opposite ends by end brackets. The end brackets are removably securable to the upright supports. Support saddles depend downwardly from each of the dispensers and are positioned respectively to register over and engage the support bars to thereby support the dispensers. The support shelf end brackets are relieved and contoured to conform to the contours of the shelf bars whereby the support saddles may be supported on the support bars at the bracket locations, as well as between end brackets, thereby permitting a continuous side-by-side uninterrupted supported series of the article dispensers. The support saddles which are positioned over a forward positioned bar of the support shelves have downwardly facing C-shaped configurations with downwardly depending front and rear legs that are dimensioned and contoured to slide downwardly over the forward support bar. The rear leg of this C-shaped saddle is shorter than the front leg to thereby permit ease of removal of the dispensers from the support bars. A low stock indicator is also provided on the dispenser for indicating that restock of articles in the dispenser is required. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20110100941 | Modular Display and Dispensing Apparatus with Plural Dispensing Tiers - A modular apparatus displays and dispenses merchandise at first and second dispensing locations placed at plural dispensing tiers at a point-of-purchase adjacent a display shelf. A first pusher-track assembly extends along a first path of travel of first serially arranged packages, and dividers are spaced apart to straddle the first path of travel and the first serially arranged packages. A second pusher-track assembly is secured to each of the dividers, elevated altitudinally above the first pusher-track assembly, and extends along a second path of travel of second serially arranged packages. A securing arrangement integrates the second pusher-track assembly with the dividers within the apparatus, with the first and second forward dispensing locations spaced apart altitudinally to establish the plural dispensing tiers at the point-of-purchase. A stabilizing arrangement stabilizes the dividers against inadvertent movements relative to the display shelf to complete a stable apparatus. Multiple dividers and counterpart pusher-track assemblies enable the modular apparatus to provide any selected number of display and dispensing bays. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110147323 | System and Method for Displaying and Dispensing Merchandise Articles of Selected Dimensions - A system of modular components enables the selection and assembly of components of the system to accommodate a compact display, effective dispensing by gravity-feed, and convenient restocking of merchandise articles of different dimensions at a compact matrix of dispensing locations placed at a point-of-purchase. Selected chutes are assembled with counterpart selected left and right sidewalls for carrying merchandise articles of selected dimensions, with the lateral spacing between the sidewalls being determined by the lateral width of the selected chutes. The chutes are engaged with the sidewalls for sliding movement between a retracted position, wherein a forward end of a selected chute is placed at a corresponding dispensing location for presenting the carried merchandise articles for dispensing at the point-of-purchase, and an advanced position, wherein the selected chute is exposed adjacent a rearward end of the chute to permit access to the selected chute adjacent the rearward end from a forward position adjacent a corresponding dispensing location of the matrix of dispensing locations for enabling restocking of the selected chute directly, adjacent the rearward end of the selected chute, from the forward position. | 06-23-2011 |
