ES2316455T3 - METHOD AND APPLIANCE FOR POSITIONING A ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

This concerns a method of using a camera imaging system (254) in a package vending machine (10) to identify packages (223) which have been stored in the vending machine. A plurality of at least one type of package, which is intended to be dispensed by the vending machine, is stored in a package storage area of the package vending machine. Each package includes at least one of a corresponding type of article therein, the package having a plurality of visual attributes, such that if the package is imaged from a plurality of different views, each image acquired from each of the plurality of different views may include a different one ctr more of the the plurality of visual attributes, where one or more of the visual attributes may be sufficient to identity the type of the package in the acquired image. When a user selection input of a desired type of package is received at the vending machine, at least a portion of a camera imaging system, of the vending machine, and a user selected package, arc brought into viewing proximity so that the camera imaging system can obtain a view of at least a portion of the package. The camera imaging system is operated so as to acquire an image of the package selected by the user before it is dispensed. One or more of the visual attributes that are captured in the image are analyzed, and, based on this analysis, the type of the package selected by the user is identified.

Description

Method and apparatus for positioning a device Item handling

1. Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to improvements in the design and operation of a device item handling and, in particular, to mechanisms of Handling items of the type that uses technology computer controlled electromechanics and, in the embodiment illustrated, a grip device positioned robotically that uses aspiration, for example, to grab and move an item selected from one zone to another, such as from an area of storage to a dispensing area.

2. Description of the prior art

Most manipulation mechanisms of prior art articles, to which reference is made more specifically in the description of the present invention as part of the environment of a knitting machine of sale (PV), are based on a large number of motors, switches and solenoids to move various parts of the manipulation mechanism and for the manipulation of the articles themselves, such as packaged products Most of such machines require a dedicated motor, switch and / or solenoid for each row, column or type of item or package to be handled or dispensed from them. Such machines generally present numerous Disadvantages, such as poor reliability due to failures mechanics, as those skilled in the art know very well.

U.S. Patent 5,240,139 represents a significant improvement in the handling devices of articles. Describes the use of a pressure lifting mechanism negative air (i.e. a manipulation mechanism or item capture) that uses aspiration, that is, a pressure of reduced air, or also called "negative", created by a partial vacuum to make a safe contact with a item to be recovered, which is introduced by the party open top of an article storage warehouse located in a refrigerated storage area of a machine Vending Although robotic lifting mechanisms, and especially those of aspiration type, are normally used in factories, in which there are normally no space limitations, their use in small environments, such as a vending machine Articles, has not had a great acceptance. Because of the greater reliability and versatility of vending machines of the type that uses suction technology to grab and move items selected, it would be desirable to develop new techniques and methods for the operation and control of such machines, as well as for  other more generalized mechanisms of manipulation of articles.

U.S. Patent 5,240,139 mentioned previously provides flexible tube storage by using a flexible air tube that can be compressed longitudinally and presenting a compression ratio of 3: 1 approximately. One end of the flexible tube is connected to a source of negative air pressure that is provided on a bar of support that moves laterally over the top of the freezer. The other end of the air hose is connected to a head capturing articles. The lateral positioning of a compressible flexible tube is satisfactory in the environment of the U.S. Patent 5,240,139 since the compartment of the freezer only occupies the lower half of the inside of the machine Vending machine, leaving the upper half available for the tube Flexible and its positioning mechanism. However, since most of the expense that a machine business must face Vending includes the service of (that is, replenishing) the Vending machine with products, it would be desirable to be able to provide  storage warehouses of higher items, with or without a freezing compartment, in order to maximize the use of storage volume of items inside the housing of the vending machine. Article dispensing machines of the prior art normally use between 50 and 60 per hundred of its height available for storage articles.

Due to the mentioned disadvantages previously, it would be desirable to decrease the height requirement for The flexible tube positioning mechanism. One way would be Consider using a non-compressible flexible tube. A tube flexible non-compressible has the advantage that it can be operated and / or guided by a direct hitch with the tube walls flexible, a much simpler technique compared to the Indirect patent tube flexible positioning technique U.S. 5,240,139 mentioned above. In addition, a tube flexible non-compressible has the advantage of maintaining a length constant despite undergoing empty changes. Even moreover, a non-compressible flexible tube has greater integrity structural and less leakage compared to, for example, a tube telescopic. However, two serious problems occur through the use of a non-compressible flexible tube: where can it be stored a sufficient length of the flexible tube so that its free end can travel the distance from the bottom of the flexible tube positioning mechanism (one position aligned with the top of a storage tank items) to the bottom of the storage device Of articles?; and how can you withdraw and retract in a way simple and reliable to and from the storage area as necessary?.

PCT Patent Publication WO 99/12132 titled "VENDING MACHINE" unveils a vending machine that features a folded articulated arm to position a tube Flexible suction grip for items inside a freezer to retrieve items to be dispensed. This tube flexible is not compressible and is continuous from a base zone located below the articulated arm to its free end, where it is coupled to an article capture head. A mechanism arm and linear drive located in the base area will used to bring the hose inwards and towards the outside of the base area, through the articulated arm and towards the inside of the freezing compartment. The disposition of flexible tube positioning in this patent PCT publication It has a similar disadvantage as US Pat. 5,240,139 mentioned above, since a significant volume inside the vending machine housing is needed for the mechanism that positions the flexible tube on and within the storage tanks during a dispensing cycle of package (that is, a height almost equal to the height of their own storage warehouses). In addition, it is observed that you only need to store a relatively small length of flexible tube, corresponding to the amount of flexible tube necessary to move the item picker head in the direction Z (that is, inside and outside the freezer), since a significant length of the flexible tube is already stored in the folded articulated arm. Even in addition, it note that this patent publication reveals a mechanism relatively complex for positioning, storage and flexible tube drive.

German patent DE 2455673, in the name of G. Lucas, published on May 26, 1976 and entitled "VENDING MACHINE  FOR ICE CREAM-USING SUCTION HEAD TO PICKUP WRAPPED BLOCKS OF ICE CREAM FROM STACK IN REFRIGERATOR "unveils a ice cream vending machine in which a mobile car is mottling inside a freezer and that can be positioned laterally on Article storage warehouses. The car includes a drive mechanism to lower an electric cable, which presents a suction motor at its free end, towards the interior storage warehouses for items for Recover ice cream packages. In fact, this type of mechanism positioning for an article handling device avoid the problem of flexible tube storage by doing lower the suction motor into the tank. This is particularly disadvantageous since bending and bending electrical cable constants can generate problems of reliability / breakdown In addition, the diameter of the suction motor causes great limitations in the dimensions of the devices of storage of articles.

U.S. Patent 5,957,326 entitled "APPARATUS FOR RETRIEVING RANDOMLY ORGANIZED ARTICLES", describes a vending device that includes a car mounted for be able to position laterally on a storage tank of items and includes a drive mechanism to make descend into the storage tank a capping head that has a plurality of suction cups mounted about it. Each suction cup is individually connected to a substantial length of flexible tube leading to a manifold which provides aspiration to them. This type of mechanism positioning for an article handling device is particularly disadvantageous since the plurality of flexible tubes  suction connected to the pickup head is not provided in a flexible tube storage area but instead they roll up / drag under the car when it is positioned again, occupying for that reason largely a space that could be used in a more advantageous way for the storage of items to be shipped / dispensed

U.S. Patent 4,557,659 entitled "DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING LOADS BY MEANS OF VACUUM OPERATED SUCTION PADS "describes a lifting and transport of items in which an electric motor mounted from sliding way along an elevated and rotating I-bar, It is used to lower an electric cable to an article That will be manipulated. The electric cable has at its free end a pickup head that includes a plurality of suction cups mounted about it. A flexible tube that provides aspiration, which is continuous from a suction generator to the pickup head, is loosely supported between its ends by a series of sliding rails connected to the rotating I-bar. This type of positioning mechanism for a device Article handling is substantially disadvantageous by the same reason as US Patent 5,957,326 mentioned previously, due to the fact that the flexible tube of suction crawls to the side of and below the car when this one is positioned again, occupying for it to a large extent a space that could be used in a more advantageous way for the storage of items to be shipped / dispensed.

Objects of the invention

Therefore, one of the objects of the The present invention is to provide new techniques and methods for the design, operation and control of the mechanisms of Article handling

A further object of the present invention is provide new techniques and methods for design, operation and control of article handling mechanisms of the type that uses electromechanical technology controlled by computer and, in the illustrated embodiment, a gripping device type suction robotically positioned to grab and move a selected item from one area to another, such as from a storage area to a dispensing zone.

It is also an object of the present invention provide new techniques and methods for such mechanisms that improve the speed and accuracy of the handling function of articles while at the same time the articles are manipulated that are going to be dispensed in a careful way to prevent any damage to them.

A more specific object of the invention is provide an article handling mechanism that has a compact height to maximize the containment capacity of items in the storage area.

Summary of the invention

The above objects are achieved in a Illustrated embodiment of an article dispensing apparatus made, for example, as a vending machine, in which the internal height limitations set by the housing of the machine determine height limitations. In order to maximize the height of the storage volume of items, is They provide the following aspects of the invention:

1. the tube positioning mechanism flexible maintains a constant height during the new flexible tube positioning,

2. the flexible tube is operated in the direction of extraction of articles passing "THROUGH" the mechanism of flexible tube positioning,

3. the flexible tube is forced to move between the flexible tube storage area and the mechanism of flexible tube positioning in the same space where move the flexible tube positioning mechanism,

4. tube positioning mechanism flexible carries the tube drive means flexible,

5. the tube positioning mechanism flexible is an X-Y layout, R-theta or scissors, as described with more detail in the following description.

       \ vskip1.000000 \ baselineskip
    

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a vending machine built and operated according to the principles of the invention,

Figures 2 and 3 are front views in perspective of the vending machine of figure 1, with the door front open to illustrate the mechanical components and main electric of it,

Figure 4 is a functional block diagram which illustrates the joint action of the mechanical components and main electric vending machine of figure 1,

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate details of the part cart of the article handling mechanism shown in the Figures 2 and 3,

Figure 7 illustrates details of the mechanism of flexible tube guide shown in figures 2 and 3,

Figure 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the flexible tube positioning mechanism shown in the figure 3,

Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate combinations / orientations of various handling mechanisms of items and storage areas.

       \ vskip1.000000 \ baselineskip
    

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates an environment for the invention described in this document in the form of a dispensing machine of items, such as a point of sale dispensing machine (PV) Although throughout the following description it is made reference to the implementation of the invention in an environment of vending machine, the term "vending machine", and, of In fact, the environment for the present invention is intended to include handling, recovery and / or dispensing devices of more general purpose items, as well as PV equipment. Such equipment, if performed as a portable device, can understand and be approximately the size of a machine traditional vending machine or be as large as a trailer pulled by a tractor and, if performed as a non-portable device, it can understand and perform as an automatic dispensing chamber or an area located in a permanent structure, such as in a building (above ground or underground, and with or without walls interiors or an enclosure housing). In addition, it is intended that the term "articles" or "products" include, in at least some of the embodiments of the invention described in this document, not only material goods, but also services and / or information, either permanently or temporarily.

Accordingly, Figure 1 illustrates a view. in perspective of a vending machine 10 comprising a realization for an apparatus that is built and that works according to The present invention. The vending machine 10 includes a main housing 12 and a front door 14 mounted on a articulation 16 to provide access to the interior of the machine Vending machine to be able to serve it (replenishing it with items, performing maintenance, etc.). Note that, in a realization of additional vending machine, a hole or a Service door could be placed anywhere on or as a part of the housing 12. In Figure 1, the front door 14 It is shown in a closed position, forming an envelope with the main housing 12, within which various are housed components of the vending machine 10, as explained later in greater detail.

The front door 14 includes a section 18 of convex shape adjacent to a flat section 20; however, are you Particular forms are not necessary for the invention. The section 18 convexly comprises a display panel 18 of translucent plastic, which usually includes the brand name and / or the graphics of the logo displayed on it, and even you can include graphics that illustrate the individual items that can be sold by the vending machine 10, as well as Price and / or item selection information. Normally, panel 18 is illuminated by a backlight using fluorescent bulbs, not shown.

A collection zone 22 for customers is formed in panel 18 of door 14 so that the articles stored inside can be downloaded for a machine user 10 vending machine

Various user interface features they are mounted on flat section 20 of door 14. A display device 24 for customers can be a panel of LED display or a fluorescent display panel conventional that shows various information elements to a user of machine 10, such as user feedback about the selection made, the amount entered and if the Product is out of stock or dispensing. To accept the payments, a ticket acceptance slot 26 accepts the introduction of paper money in an acceptance mechanism of conventional bills (mounted inside machine 10 to have its user interface part extended through an opening aligned in flat section 20) for the purchase of items or for give change. A coin insertion slot 28 accepts the introduction of coins into a currency exchange mechanism conventional (also mounted inside machine 10 to have its user interface part extended through an opening aligned in flat section 20) for the purchase of items or for give change. A coin return actuator 30 comprises a conventional push button mechanism to activate a part of coin return from the currency exchange mechanism that, after operating, it returns the coins introduced by the Current user in a coin return cavity 32. The part coin return mechanism of currency exchange also provides change in coin return cavity 32 either in response to the purchase of items or to change paper currency or coins of a higher value. A slot 34 of cards credit / debit accepts a plastic credit / debit card inserted into a conventional card reader mechanism (also mounted inside machine 10 to have its share of extended user interface through an opening aligned in flat section 20) to allow a user to pay for their purchase by credit / debit cards. A locking mechanism 36 of door allows to protect the front door 14 so that it cannot Open without a key. To allow a user's selections, display panel 18 may include graphics, as indicated above, which indicate the various items that You can sell the machine, as well as its associated price and a number of unique selection. Alternatively, the flat section 20 can include a group of graphic visualizations of articles and their associated price. A conventional mechanism 38 of keyboard with push buttons that allows a user to select a desired item from the vending machine 10. As an alternative, a push button mechanism 40 may include buttons individual buttons for each item selection, as well as a display of the associated price; and even moreover, a user-managed touch screen could replace the mechanism 40 of push buttons and device 24 of display. Although not shown in Figure 1, machine 10 it also includes a conventional telecommunications component that can be used to authenticate purchases using credit cards, as well as other uses related to machine control, and to inform about stocks and the status of operation of machine 10 to a remote location, such as It will be described later in greater detail. Although the machine 10 Vending machine is illustrated to include interface components of user described above, in a more modest embodiment of the invention, most, if not all, of these could be omitted UI components, and the dispensing machine could, in fact, be controlled from a remote location, with or without A local payment system.

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the vending machine of figure 1, with the front door open to illustrate mechanical and electrical components main of it. Figure 3 is, in a way, a idealized version of the main components of the part of Vending machine item handling mechanism 10 and it is useful to understand its general functioning. Note that some parts of the vending machine 10 are shown sectioned in these figures in order to better illustrate the components internal

Referring first to the figure 2, it is noted that the right part of the front of the housing 12 includes a support panel 202 mounted so vertical that is used to mount a large part of the components of user interface. More specifically, a mounting bracket 204 articulated is mounted on panel 202 and is aligned with a door opening 14 so that the interface components of user, such as the selection button keyboard 40, the coin insertion slot 30, acceptance slot 28 banknotes, the return of coins 32 and the device 24 of display for customers, they are all accessible to the user from the front side of door 14. Mounted inside the front door 14 there are two light bulb sources fluorescent (which are behind 206 protective covers. Another number of light sources can be used) that emit light to the rear lighting panel 18. A stabilizer 208 for fluorescent bulbs and a product delivery duct 210. Note that the product delivery line 210 is not conventional due to its great height and therefore serves as a security means to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the machine by inserting the arm or other grip mechanism within the collection zone 22 for customers from outside of machine. In vending machines typical of the technique above there is normally a swinging security door in the upper part of the conduit 210 which oscillates towards a position of blocking that protects against vandalism when the client tries abruptly open the swinging door in the access part to the Zone 8 for product collection. In a further embodiment of the vending machine 10, a security door of this type together with the product delivery conduit 210, especially if the conduit 210 is not as tall as illustrated in figure 2 and also if the product collection zone 8 is located in a higher area of the machine 10. A mechanism of Conventional ticket acceptance is mounted behind the Articulated mounting bracket 204 to make paper money inserted in the bill acceptance slot 28 enter in the vending machine 10, a currency exchange mechanism conventional supplies coins in a return slot 34 coins and is located behind the panel, a guiding element of coins guides the coins introduced to the changer coins and a conventional bill validation mechanism ensures the correct introduction of paper money into the slot 28 bill acceptance.

A control card 212 comprises a board printed circuit on which a system of circuits and to which integrated circuit chips are attached. The control card 212 includes a microprocessor that is electrically connected to various sensors, motors, to user interface elements described above, as well as to other devices inside the vending machine 10, to check the operation of the vending machine 10 described in this document. When this description refers to the execution of functions specified by card 212 of control, it should be understood that these functions are controlled by the microprocessor and the associated circuit system formed in the 212 control card. A power supply 214 is mounted on panel 202 and supplies power to the electrical components  of the vending machine 10.

Referring now also to figure 3, it is clear that the volume of the inside of the housing 12 is Available as a 215 item storage area. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of deposits 216 of storage of vertically aligned items is arranged on the floor 217 inside the housing 12 for the storage of 223 items to be sold through the machine 10. In a refrigerated environment for the present invention, the deposits can be arranged to settle on a shelf placed on top of the cooling system.

A container 219 open at the top (figure 2) can be sized to house a plurality of article storage devices 216 and can be used, for example, to facilitate handling simultaneous (i.e. extraction, installation and transport) of the plurality of deposits 216 in / out of zone 215 of storage of items. The container 219 also facilitates a fast and precise positioning of a plurality of deposits of storage of items within the storage area of the article handling apparatus. A 218 car (to which you can referenced in a more general way as a mechanism of X-Y or flat positioning) is coupled in the inner upper side of the housing 12 and is adapted to position yourself in a controlled manner using card part 212 machine control 10 in a location centered on (for that is aligned with) the upper open end of a tank selected from storage warehouses 216 of articles.

Although a vertical alignment is shown (axis Z) of the storage warehouses 216, is also possible a non-vertical alignment, that is, inclined or even horizontal (X or Y axis) (such as can be found in the widely known front-end vending machines of glass of the type that uses a type of dispensing apparatus of "spiral wire"). In the case of an alignment substantially horizontal of storage devices, the flat positioning mechanism will be modified appropriately to position carriage 218 to move in the X / Z plane or AND Z. In fact, it is also considered that a curvilinear plane, such like a cylinder, it is within the scope of the present invention. The combination of substantially aligned product stacks of horizontal way with an article transport mechanism robotically controlled that moves in a vertical plane adjacent to the dispensing ends of the product stacks it is known, for example, from the US patent 6,230,930, published May 15, 2001 and titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VENDING PRODUCTS "and from the publication of US Patent 2001/0000609 published May 3, 2001. The use of a curvilinear plane for the transport of articles, for example in the technique for the sale of tapes video, in which video tapes are stacked in a way oriented out on a storage carousel Central and a robotic gripping device surrounds the carousel. In addition, although article storage deposits 216 are show in an environmental environment, deposits 216 can in fact be located in a refrigerated environment, such as a freezer located at the bottom of storage area 217, and the Article transport mechanism is introduced into warehouses from a top freezer opening, as shown and It is described in US Patent 5,240,139 mentioned previously. As an alternative, in case the environment refrigerated be the type that includes substantially alignment horizontal storage tanks, a vertically oriented opening to provide access to Dispensing end of storage tanks articles.

In the environment of the present invention, a tube Flexible air 220 is continuous from a point before its outlet of a flexible tube storage zone 222 on rollers 213 placed orthogonally, to its end 221 free. The free end 221 includes a weight portion 225 along with a part 227 of bellows type extension tip. According to the physical characteristics of the items to be dispensed, the head 224 article collector can only comprise the 225 part with weight or this part together with an adapted accessory specifically the type of packages to be dispensed, such as the 227 bellows type tip or a compatible tip without a weight. He flexible tube 20 has an end coupled to a pressure source of negative air, that is, of aspiration, source of aspiration that it comprises in the preferred embodiment a blower motor 226 and a free end coupled to the head 224 article collector. In the present invention, the word continuous is intended to mean a tube flexible that is connected and that acts between its points of extreme, in order to perform the functions required of the same, as a single / single flexible tube. A tube part 235 flexible air provides suction from engine 226 of one hole blower in an air connection box 229, while a continuous flexible tube 220 is connected to a second hole of a box 229 of air connections. The box 229 of air connections, included in an upper part of the area 222 flexible tube storage, includes a flow sensor of air and a vacuum regulator set. Air flow sensor it is used to create a signal that is applied to the controller of the vending machine and that is representative of the air flow to through the flexible air tube 220. The regulatory set of vacuum is used for the air pressure of the tube 220 to pass quickly at ambient pressure, thereby facilitating a "quick release" of an item carried by the head article collector inside the dispensing conduit 210. Should Note that a quick release of products should not be made in the upper part of the dispensing conduit 210 and, in case it is desirable to prevent the article from being subjected to forces caused by shocks or falls, the pickup head of articles can move towards the bottom of the conduit 210 of dispensing before carrying out the rapid release of the Article. In one embodiment, the flow sensor arrangement of air can comprise a two part switch, a first part that includes a reed switch mounted on one part top of box 229, and a second part that includes a magnet mounted at the free end of a swing arm mounted inside the box 229. When the arm oscillates inside the box 229 due to changes in the air flow, the switch "scales", thereby indicating changes in air flow. The use of this air flow signal will be described later in greater detail.

According to one aspect of the present invention, provides a novel tube positioning arrangement flexible. As shown generically in Figure 3, and more specifically in figures 5 and 6, the alignment of the cart 218 with a deposit selected from deposits 216 is performs in the forward / backward direction (Y) using a 228 front / rear linear slide rail (shown on a sectional view) mounted on a 230 "L" shaped bar front / rear so that carriage 218 can position itself as controlled manner along it using rail 228 of glide. A lower edge portion of the bar 230 includes a rack part 232 and the carriage 218 includes an engine 233 electric that drives a gear (633 in figure 6) that is Gear with the rack part 232. The application, from the control card 212 to motor 233, of motor control signals for the forward and reverse makes the car 218 move in the forward / backward direction. The carriage alignment 218 in the left / right direction (X) is made of similar way using a linear sliding rail 234 left / right that slides the top side of the front / rear bar 230 with the bottom side of each of bars 236a and 236b spaced front / rear. The bars 236a and 236b are rigidly coupled to the part internal top of the housing 12. A zipper 238, also rigidly coupled to the upper inside of the housing 12 and in parallel with the bars 236, is engaged by a gear 240 driven by a 243 motor with gear reversal mounted near the inner corner of the bar 230. The application, from control card 212 to motor 243, of control signals motor for forward and reverse causes rotation of the gear 240 and a corresponding movement of the bar 230, and therefore of car 218, in the direction to the left / towards the right (X).

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, since the tube positioning arrangement flexible causes an article 223 to move through the head 224 collector from a storage tank 216 to the duct 210, the article is positioned past a device 254 of identification (ID) of items mounted inside the housing 12. A specific type of item ID device is not required for the present invention and, depending on the limitations of the system, such a device may comprise, for example, a barcode scanner or other optical system recognition of images / patterns, or even a system that does not be optical, such as a magnetic or identification system by radio frequency (RFID) mounted inside housing 12 to uniquely identify and confirm that the item that is Dispensing is really the item that has been selected. The subject matter experts know the construction of such item identification devices, so it is not An additional description is necessary in this regard.

It should be noted that the device ID 254 of items is mounted inside the housing 12 in a location relatively fixed, mounted so that some can be provided controlled movement in the orientation of the ID device 254 of items in order to help ensure a good "vision" of the item being transported and a high confidence of the transported items that are being identified. One way to provide such controlled movement for the ID device 254 would be to mount it on a piezoelectric substrate, and the control card 212 could provide a voltage to the substrate to change the "vision" of the ID device 254. It should be noted that using an article ID device 254 properly positioned only a single device 254 of Item ID This is particularly useful for a machine. robotic dispenser, since the robotic device can place controlled manner, and relocate if necessary, the article near item ID device 254, helping with That way to ensure a reliable ID of the item.

A deposit holding element 260, shown in figure 2, comprising a pair of supports Rectangles fixed in a spaced way to side walls opposite interiors of the housing 12, is used to maintain the deposits between them in a predetermined position with respect to the inside of the housing of the vending machine. This is required in view of the previous programming of the card 212 control that controls the robotic structure to recover an item selected from a deposit selected from the deposits 216.

Note that although car set 218 it only moves in a single plane, it is responsible for placing so precise the head 224 capturing in each of the directions X, Y and Z. More specifically, according to a further aspect of the invention as shown in figures 5 and 6, in one embodiment preferred, flexible tube positioning carriage 218 includes a roller arrangement 502 comprising three rollers 504 placed orthogonally at the point where the tube 220 flexible is introduced in carriage 218, to redirect movement of flexible tube 220 from a substantially horizontal direction along the upper inside of the machine 10 (it is say, in the direction X, Y) to a direction perpendicular to the same (that is, in the Z direction). The carriage movement 218 does not it will only move the free end 221 of the flexible tube 220 so that can be aligned axially with a tank selected from the deposits 216, but will also automatically remove tube 220 flexible zone 222 flexible tube storage. Then, a flexible tube drive mechanism, which may comprise a set of "506 roller presses" that they are operated in a conventional manner operated by a 508 engine with reverse gear through a 510 system gear and which in the illustrated embodiment are mounted on the car 218, but in a further embodiment the engine 508 / rollers 506 (or some other drive mechanism, such as the shown in PCT publication WO 99/12132 mentioned above) they could be mounted elsewhere along the length of the tube 220 flexible, is used to bring the head 224 captor towards the inside / outside the tank 216 selected for the purpose to retrieve items stored in it. In case the flexible tube 220 include structural spiral undulations at along its length, 506 pressing rollers may include matching ripples on them to help in the flexible tube drive 220.

This arrangement, in which the flexible tube 220 it travels in the same plane X, Y in which the car travels 218, facilitates an embodiment of a compact mechanism of flexible tube positioning and actuation for present invention In addition, since the movement of the car is responsible for supplying most of the necessary force to remove the flexible tube 220 from the storage area 222, the Z drive motor is only needed to drive the tube flexible and make its free end move towards the inside / outside of tanks 216 for recovery Of articles. It should be noted that the 506 pressing rollers must comprise a soft rubber material to provide a good friction contact with flexible tube 220 and if tube 220 flexible includes structural spiral ripples along of its length, 506 press rollers may include matching ripples to provide a force of more positive drive to flexible tube 220. In the realization illustrated, it has been determined that two rollers are not necessary actuators and, consequently, only one of the rollers pressers are driven by the 508 engine, while a spring (514) is used to push the other roller towards the roller actuated, narrowing and thereby actuating the flexible tube 220 between them. Also, when using a wavy flexible tube, in some applications it may be possible to replace the rollers 506 presses by a linear threaded mechanism adjacent to tube 220 flexible to operate the flexible tube.

In the vending machine environment, it is important to have a compact positioning mechanism and flexible tube drive. The present provision of inventive features provides a very robotic structure compact that maximizes the carriage's ability to position the tube flexible inside the housing 4. In addition, a structure Compact robotics maximizes the storage capacity of Vending machine items 10 and increases the capacity of the robotic positioning device maneuvering within the maximized storage area. If a housing is considered It has a height of 1829 mm (72 inches), a mechanism of flexible tube positioning of the prior art, such as the which is provided by U.S. Patent 5,240,139 mentioned above or by PCT publication of WO patent 99/12132, would normally occupy approximately 40 percent of the height dimension inside the housing, thereby leaving a 60 percent or less for storage of items that They will sell. With the arrangement of the present invention, the flexible tube positioning and actuation mechanism it comprises less than 25 percent of the interior height of the wrap, a very desirable result. In addition, it is observed that the compact tube positioning and actuation mechanism flexible of the present invention is extraordinary since in the illustrated embodiment only occupies approximately 15 percent of the inside height of the envelope. What is even more remarkable is that this highly compact mechanism of flexible tube positioning and actuation can align the free end of the flexible tube with an article tank and then you can operate the flexible tube by taking it to the part bottom of the tank. In the present invention, the flexible tube can travel a distance that is three times the height of the flexible tube positioning mechanism and, in fact, in the illustrated embodiment, the flexible tube runs five times approximately the height of the tube positioning mechanism flexible.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 also show a 550 telescopic guide mechanism to ensure that when done lower the head 224 captor by the mechanism of carriage 218 drive into the area of storage, it descends into the tank desired deposits 216. For example, depending on the material used to build flexible tube 220, it is possible that during long periods of time when the flexible tube 220 does not return to be positioned, the 90º turn in the direction of the flexible tube that takes place in car 218 can form a "knot" important in the flexible tube 220. Then, since the tube 220 flexible has descended into a tank 216 selected, the knot can cause the pickup head 224 to swing when the hose knot travels beyond 506 drive rollers. In order to prevent such tilting or unwanted movements of the head 224 captor, guide mechanism 550 is provided comprising a plate 552 guide fixed to the end of two sliding support bars 554. As shown more clearly in Figure 7, bars 554 of support slide through holes in a block 556 of plastic (PVC, that is, polyvinyl chloride) attached to one part of wall of carriage 218. Plate 552 is constructed to present a hole in the center of it that is sized to be slightly larger than the diameter of the body part of the head 224 capturing although smaller than the diameter of a part of Flange of it. Therefore, in operation, when the head 224 catcher descends into a tank desired, support rods 554 allow plate 552 to support go down, due to gravity, at the same speed at which head 224 descends from carriage 218. At a height of above the top of deposits 216, and determined by the length of the support rods 554, the plate 552 does not move away over car 218 and the hole in the center of it simply serves to guide the rest of the descent of the head 224 collector into the selected tank 216. When the 224 captain head retracts from the tank, after having fixed a package to it due to the suction force created inside the flexible tube 220, the pickup head 224 makes contact finally with the 552 guide plate and then, for the rest of your upward displacement, retraction of flexible tube 220 It also provides retraction of the guide plate 552.

As also shown in Figures 5 and 6, the carriage movement 218 is stabilized to some extent by the joint action of a support 512, located on the lower side of an upper part of the support bar 230 and through which it has to pass the slide rail 228, and a part 602 of "U" shaped lip protruding from a lower side of the support bar 230. A part upward facing of lip 602 is engaged (and in fact "embedded"), through a groove facing down, to a sliding mechanism 604 coupled to carriage 218. It is considered that the joint action of the diagonally opposite supports provided by the 512 and rail 228 support combinations of slip, as well as lip 602 and slip 604, which are fixed to the two sections of the support bar 230 in the form of "L", provides greater stability to car 218 during its displacement along bar 230.

As shown more clearly in the figure 7, the support rods 554 comprise rods having a threaded hole at each end into which a mechanical screw On top of rods 554, the screw head 555 forms a flange part that prevents the 554 rods fall completely through the holes in the block 556 and, at the bottom of rods 554, the screws fix plate 552 to the rods. Plate 552 can include a protective washer around the hole in it to prevent damage from occurring and reduce tube wear Flexible 220 as it travels through plate 552. The washer height is preferably greater than the separation between adjacent turns of the spiral support structure of flexible tube 220. In addition, it should be noted that tube 220 flexible is preferably formed by a spiral part tough and flexible that works like the spine to the conformation of the flexible tube, also largely formed with a flexible and hermetic plastic material that extends to along the adjacent turns of the spiral part.

Constructions are also contemplated Alternatives for the guide mechanism 132. For example, it can be used a series of telescopic tube sections, coupled to the part bottom of carriage 218 and through which tube 220 passes flexible, instead of rods 136 and plate 134.

As indicated above, post that the flexible tube 220 is made of a continuous material from its connection with the suction source at one end until the head 224 captor at its other end, means are needed to provide storage and / or retraction of the flexible tube during head displacement 224 capturing in the X, Y directions and Z, as appropriate in the dispensing operations of articles.

Therefore, as shown in the Figure 3, the placement of a parallel interior wall 246 and adjacent to an outer wall 248 of the housing 12 is used to form between them the tube storage zone 222 flexible. The flexible tube storage zone 222 has a cross-sectional area that is slightly larger than the area of cross section of the flexible tube loop formed therein. Walls 246 and 248 are shown partially sectioned to illustrate a retraction mechanism / loop tensioner 250 gravity-fed self-retractable formed in tube 220 flexible. The loop tensioner 250 is forced to move within zone 222 of flexible tube storage and is self-retractable up to a point when understanding a rolling weight 252 that has a notch 253 along its periphery in order to provide a constant centering of weight within storage area 222 of flexible tube and to provide a constant tension "of loop formation "on the flexible tube 220. In addition, the centering of the 252 rolling weight notched within zone 222 of Flexible tube storage results in centering of the flexible tube 220, thereby preventing the flexible tube 220 is rubbed with the walls of the tube storage zone 222 flexible during repositioning X, Y and Z of head 224 captor In order to prevent the tube 220 from seizing up flexible, the 252 rolling weight is sized to be slightly larger than the diameter of the flexible tube 220 and the width dimension of tube storage area 222 flexible is sized to be only slightly larger than the width dimension of the rolling weight 252. The amount of weight specific used for 252 rolling weight is a matter of design and depends on various factors, such as the weight of the items that are going to move, the power of the engines used to actuate the flexible tube in the Z direction, etc. In one embodiment additionally, it may be desirable to couple the weight 252 to one part bottom of housing 12 using a spring to add tension additional to loop tensioner 250.

It should also be noted that this technique of flexible tube storage / gravity based retraction meets the storage requirements necessary for X and Y movements of carriage 218 (to the left / towards the right and forward / backward), as well as for Z movement of the head 224 captor. Of course, this technique of flexible tube storage / gravity based retraction it would work equally well in an embodiment in which the robotic flexible tube positioning mechanism will use a swivel type device (R, the), an articulated arm, a telescopic or scissor system, or other technique. In addition, the technique Flexible tube storage / gravity-based retraction it is not necessary for the present invention and, in fact, also a total or partial retraction technique can be used motorized In addition, in other embodiments, it may be desirable. place the flexible tube storage area on another location, such as parallel to the top or back of the housing 12.

Even further, although in the realization illustrated only show a single storage area 215, a single flexible tube 220 and a single carriage 218, the invention described in this document it can also be used in a device dispenser / device for handling items of the type that presents multiple storage areas and / or multiple mechanisms robotic article handling, such as two mechanisms robotic (both placed vertically or horizontally or mixed, one vertically and one horizontally) each serving a different storage area. In addition, when multiple manipulation mechanisms are provided of items, each can be adapted for a function particular. For example, one can have a pickup head with a relatively large diameter and use a delivery device of moderate suction vacuum / large air flow, while the another may have a pickup head with a relatively diameter small and use a high / low suction vacuum supply air flow.

In this regard, Figure 9 illustrates a 500 arrangement of multiple storage areas, in which a only device for handling items of the type mentioned It previously serves 3 adjacent storage areas. In one embodiment, each zone can store piles of items. aligned in the same direction as in the other areas. A zone 502 storage can have an environmental environment while that the other storage areas can be cold areas like, for example, a cooling zone 504 and a zone 506 of freezing. Normally, this provision can be useful for dispensing of compact, reliable and reliable delivery structures effective: salty snacks (such as bags of chips) from the environmental storage area, cold drinks (such as soda) from the storage area by cooling, and frozen snacks (such as ice cream) from the area of storage by freezing. In addition, a provision of this type can be particularly advantageous since the freezing compartment can be used to maintain quality of stored items until it is about to be needed its dispensing, as determined by an intelligent controller. In a appropriate default time before dispensing, you can move a certain amount of items from the area of freezing to the cooling zone. This technique is also particularly advantageous in case the third zone of storage is actually a temporary storage area used to heat / cook individually items, such as, for example, frozen pizzas, using a oven or microwave. In this case, the quality / period of expiration of frozen pizzas is maintained while not take to the cooling zone until the zone of refrigeration has been emptied to such an extent that you need resupply, at which point they are carried sequentially from the freezing zone to the cooling zone. This technique substantially reduces the time needed to heat the pizza while waiting for the client, allowing at the same time to store the frozen pizza, substantially increased from that mode its expiration period and reducing labor costs involved in the refueling of the machine. In this provision, refrigerated storage areas may include thermal separators in their upper parts, such as a air curtain or sliding thermal panels.

Figure 10 illustrates an arrangement in which a single article handling mechanism serves two storage areas of horizontally aligned items. In the back, zone 602 is an environmental environment and the Zone 604 is a refrigerated environment. The manipulation mechanism 606 of items can be constructed in the manner described above using the support bar 230 and the carriage 218 so that the mechanism 606 can "inhabit" the environmental zone 602 and move into the refrigerated zone 604 through of the swing door 608, as required. 602 zones and 604 may each include their own device 254 ID of articles or share a common ID device.

In addition, flexible tubes and individual flexible tube positioning mechanisms may also be useful in order to accelerate the recovery and delivery of stored items to a customer. Figure 11 shows a fast article dispensing machine, of the type that has two storage areas arranged horizontally. Although flexible tubes and individual flexible tube positioning mechanisms are used, they can share a single suction source (i.e., a blower motor 226), a single air flow sensor and a single vacuum regulator. A single flexible tube, a single flexible tube positioning mechanism and a single flexible tube storage area can be used in a further embodiment in which the single flexible tube serves more than one article storage area, such as the refrigerated storage area and the non-refrigerated storage area shown in arrangement 700 of Figure 11, in which the support bar 230 and the carriage 218 can be located between the two storage areas, which have different environmental environments, by means of a door mechanism 702. Each robotic article handling mechanism can
have their own 254 article ID device or they can share a single 254 article ID device.

Figure 12 illustrates a vending machine that It has only a single article handling mechanism with two client interface zones (each including a device for product selection such as a keyboard or touch screen, a payment system and a product collection door), by example, one on the left side and one on the right side, with a common graphics display device between them. This machine can service two buyers substantially at same time since customer selections and payment are normally perform in a considerable amount of time in comparison with the real time needed for the machine dispenser deliver the selected product.

An additional provision of such provisions is shown in figure 13, in which a housing 600 includes in the same an upper zone 602 that is not refrigerated (and that even can be heated) and a lower zone 604 that is refrigerated (and which can even be divided into, for example, two sections additional, a freezing zone 606 and another zone 608 simply cooling). This provision is particularly advantageous since hot air tends to rise and cold air It tends to go down. Alternatively, a storage area can be oriented for the vertical storage of products and the another zone, or even multiple zones, can be arranged for a horizontal storage In this case a tube may be needed. flexible, a flexible tube positioning mechanism and a Individual flexible tube storage area for zones storage oriented differently.

In the previous provisions it should be observed that the article handling mechanism may have other configurations such as the telescopic tube arrangement, of scissors or R-theta mentioned above. Further, Items can be consumer goods, such as items from office, printer cartridges, etc.

In the embodiment illustrated in this document, blower motor 226 provides a relatively high volume of air flow but a relatively negative air pressure moderate As a matter of design, blower motor 226 can comprise a vacuum pump to provide a lot degree higher negative air pressure but, due to limitations in size and cost, a reduced amount of air flow correspondent. In the latter case, the diameter of the tube 220 flexible air would be smaller than the diameter illustrated in the Figures 2 and 3, which may be particularly important in some applications of the present invention. The realization illustrated is particularly useful for capturing flexible packets since, generally, a momentary or even continuous leak in the link to article packaging will not result in packet drop while at the same time offering an extreme versatility because it can capture a great diversity of conformed objects with different weights and sizes. If the blower motor 226 comprises a vacuum pump, this can used alone or together with a storage tank attached to the flexible suction tube through a valve and a tube flexible air, in order to provide a greater volume of air flow. Alternatively, a compressor may be used in conjunction with A venturi device to create vacuum.

Figure 4 illustrates a block diagram functional general functioning of the various aspects of the invention described in this document realized as a machine dispenser of articles of the type comprising, for example, the Vending machine 10. A control system 400 that includes a microprocessor 402 and associated memory circuits 404, is Built in control card 212. The control system 400 it can also include the electronic parts of other parts of the Vending machine 10, as appropriate. 404 circuits of Memory include ROM memory for program storage operational (embedded in software, as is widely known, for perform the control described in this machine document 10 vending machine) as well as RAM cache for temporary storage of operational data during system operation as well as of other data that may be needed. The control system 400 responds to user operations of selection system 506 and user payment (including the 28 and 30 coin mechanism and banknotes and the selection buttons 40 of figure 1) to make operate the user interface and the handling device of Vending machine items 10 to dispense the item What a user wants. More specifically, after the correct payment of a selection made by the user using the 506 system of selection and payment, the control system 400 operates the 508 X / Y drive motors (to the right / to the left and forward / backward) to align head 224 collector with a deposit 216 containing the selected item by the user The control system 400 then activates a motor 410 flexible tube drive (Z motor) mounted inside and arranged in the carriage 218, so that the flexible tube 220 is operates in one direction towards the top article of the deposit aligned. At a suitable time before head 224 does contact with the article to be extracted (in an embodiment of the invention in which the housing 12 does not include refrigerated air, a appropriate time may be just before head 224 is enter tank 216, but if the air is refrigerated, This moment is together before making contact with the article desired in order to minimize the extraction of refrigerated air), control system 400 activates blower motor 226 to provide lifting suction in the head 224 captor. When position sensors 412 determine that head 224 Captor has made contact and grabbed the desired item, the control system 400 causes the drive motor 410 to flexible tube reverse its direction to retract tube 220 flexible from reservoir 216 aligned and thereby remove from deposit 216 the selected item. Car 218 is carried after to a position aligned with the delivery duct 210 of articles. As the desired article 223 moves from a storage device 216 to the conduit 210, the item goes through item ID device 254 to uniquely identify and confirm that the item that is Dispensing is really the selected item. When the 412 sensors detect the alignment of carriage 218 with the duct 210 (in this case the sensor 202 may comprise a switch of sheets mounted on a side wall of the housing and a magnet mounted on a leading edge of the carriage 218), the system 400 of control turns off blower motor 226 and vacuum loss resulting causes the selected item to fall within the Collection zone 22 for customers. As indicated previously, in case the articles are so fragile that should not be dropped or subjected to such impact forces, the flexible tube 220 can be carried to the bottom of the conduit 210 before the article is released.

It should be noted that the position sensor 412 may include the air flow sensor of box 229 of connections or, in a further embodiment, comprise a sensor piston type position that is operated mechanically associated with the head 224 captor. Even in addition, the 412 sensors position may also include a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the housing and a magnet mounted on the edge front of the car 218.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, since the control system tracks of the movement of the flexible tube 220 and the carriage 218 (for example, detecting pulses from an axis encoder or other device distance measurement in each of its drive motors respective), the signal generated by the air flow sensor in the moment when car 218 reaches the starting position virtual can also be used as a check to ensure that the control system 400 has accurately counted the motor drive pulses, and can recalibrate the system positioning based on the virtual starting position, if it were necessary.

It should be noted that car 218 described previously and that the robotic positioning mechanism and of Flexible tube drive are particularly advantageous in the environment of a housing, such as in a vending machine, since facilitate improved utilization of storage volume internal housing. More specifically, in case, example, non-storage related components are mounted or arranged inside the housing, when left "gaps" in the storage area behind or in front of the components, the car can be easily positioned to reach these gaps and make them useful for storing articles.

A communication system 414 is connected to the 400 control system to provide inventory of items and information on the operation of the vending machine to a remote location, as well as to allow you to control the Vending machine operation from a remote location. In this regard, the communication system 414 may include a connection to different media to create a transceiver interface wired and / or wireless through which a Communications link with a remote computer. In addition, the communications system 414 can communicate with a plurality of other vending machines similarly connected in the same general area and communicate with them using the interface wired or wireless communication. Even in addition, the system 414 communications can provide communication with multiple vending machines and / or with a controller / server local, at a local location along a LAN (area network local, local area network, a LAWN (wireless local area network, local area wireless network) or a WAN (wide area network, wide area network). The remote computer may comprise a base of data that you receive and / or accumulate the operational data of one or more Vending machines, data that can be accessed later (a via, for example, the Internet, using a wired connection or wireless) using encryption suitable for third parties, such as drivers, machine operators, owners of the machines, product suppliers, etc. In addition, the Remote location can provide feedback to Vending machines, such as authorization information, which can control its operation, such as allowing a continuous operation

It is contemplated that additional embodiments of the robotic flexible tube positioning mechanism described They are previously within the scope of the present invention. By example, instead of using a combination of rails 234 of left / right shift and bar 236a and support 236b, a roller / rail combination can be used guide, as shown in figure 8. Bars 236a and 236b of support can comprise a support plate 255 which has two L-shaped 256a and 256b rails and facing outward, is say, opposite, along its longitudinal edges. In this embodiment, the function of the slide rails 234 is performed by fixing a pair of brackets 258 at opposite ends of bar 230, each support 258 including a pair of rollers 260 spaced and inwardly oriented that engage and follow opposite lanes 256 of support plate 255. In addition, the 260 spaced and inwardly oriented rollers may comprise each a set of rollers arranged at an angle of 90 degrees to each other to catch on or follow the two surfaces orthogonal lanes 256a and 256b in the form of L. Tal arrangement can result in a carriage coupling 218 with the 230 bar you need less adjustments for a correct functioning. In addition, as indicated above, in case of a substantially horizontal alignment of the deposits Storage, robotic tube positioning mechanism flexible can position carriage 218 to move in a plane vertical that is substantially flat (that is, in the X / Z plane or Y / Z) or, in fact, in a vertical curvilinear plane. In addition, such as It has been indicated above, in some aspects of the invention, it may be desirable that the robotic positioning mechanism of flexible tube include a rotating device (R, the) of the type that includes a fixed-length I-bar (or sections telescopic), to establish the "R" movement of the head grab / pickup, which pivots to establish movement "\ theta". As an alternative, in other environments of the invention, the robotic flexible tube positioning mechanism may include an articulated arm or scissor system or other technique.

Precise control of motor activation 226 blower is particularly advantageous in case it refrigerate the inside of the housing, or a part of it, since precise control would decrease the amount of refrigerated air that displaces blower motor 226. In the preferred embodiment, the microprocessor 402 will activate blower motor 226 when the head 224 captor approaches the desired item and, in fact, only when in immediate proximity to the desired item (and not before), thanks to the 400 control system that maintains updated information about the height of the item stack in each tank 216. The height is assumed to be at a level predefined after the operator replenishes the items in the Vending machine 10. The control system 400 can confirm the estimated height by moving the head 224 catcher, at a speed reduced, towards an item at the top of a deposit 216 on the first recovery attempt after it has been resupplied the storage area, and then compares the height Estimated with the actual height. 404 memory can be programmed previously with heights of specific items introduced by in advance, or the control system 400 can calculate the heights comparing heights during previous sales of each Deposit. Once the height of the upper article is known, the control system 400 can also always know the height of the Next "top" article of that deposit. In addition, the control system 400 can also make the head 224 captor approach the items in that storage area at a higher speed, reducing speed only when in an immediate proximity with the following "superior" article of that deposit. The technique of slowing down when the head 224 captor approaches the next article also helps ensure that the captain head 224 does not damage the items stored.

When the machine operator activates a "reset" switch (not shown), system 400 of control will automatically use by default the prior art of height detection since it can be assumed that the operator can change the load levels of the products and, by consequently, the heights of the products in each deposit.

It should be noted that in one embodiment alternative, a simpler way to control the operation of the blower motor 226 and the approach of the head 224 captor, without knowing the specific height of the items, would be start the blower motor 226, or reduce the speed of the head 224 pickup, just before the known stack height in the previous sale.

For the embodiments described in this document, it is assumed that the activation of the blower motor or of another aspiration creation device (or alternatives to themselves, such as a source of vacuum that is operated by valves), is equivalent to the appearance of a force of immediate packet fixation, i.e. aspiration, on the head 224 captor.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, since the control system tracks of the movement of the flexible tube 220 and the carriage 218 detecting pulses of an axis encoder or other measuring device distances in each of their respective drive motors, the signal generated by the switch of the connection box 229 of air flow at the moment car 218 reaches the duct  210 dispensing can also be used as a check for ensure that control system 400 has counted so Accurate motor drive pulses, and can recalibrate your positioning system based on starting position virtual, if necessary.

In case the stored items can be easily damaged and delicate handling is required when, For example, stored items include plastic bags soft potato chips, modifications may be desirable additional to the apparatus described above. For example, according to a further aspect of the present invention, tip 227 pickup (shown in figure 2B) includes pleated type sides or "bellows" type and is made of a rubber or soft plastic compatible, so that when tip 227 makes contact with a package to be extracted, the sudden increase in pressure of negative air inside the flexible tube 220 makes the length of the tip 227 decreases suddenly. This effect tends to quickly and momentarily contract the grip end of the head 224 captor from the article and can even apply a slight package lift This contraction of the hose / lift of the package may be important since part 223 with weight of the Head 224 captor can be significant. Such weight may tend to crush or otherwise damage a delicate package in the area of storage if you contact sharply with the package. The length of the tip 227 and the aggressiveness of its "folds" is a matter of design and should be determined to provide a flexible tube contraction in an amount that is equal to or greater than the expected downward offset of the head 224 sensor due to delay / delay in braking time and stop the drive motor z (310 in figure 3) using the control system 300 and its associated sensors and by means of mechanical links associated with them.

As an alternative, or in addition to the contraction of flexible tube provided by the compatible 227 tip, can design a flexible tube 220 compatible enough to provide a desired amount of lift.

According to a further aspect of the invention, although speed is important and generally tube 220 flexible is operated at a maximum permissible speed, when handle delicate items, the speed at which the 400 system of control directs the head 224 captor towards a package that is going to recover, decreases when the head 224 captors approaches the stored package. Since the control system 400 maintains updated information about the height of each stack of items stored in storage tanks 10, can get adequate speed control, that is, a speed reduction, when the captain head 224 approaches A stored item. Such speed reduction provides a degree of tolerance in the downward movement and in the recoil of the head 224 sensor to prevent the associated weight  with the same "clash" with and therefore crush a package delicate. A type of speed control can also be used similar in the upward direction of the head 224 captor for prevent it from colliding with the underside of carriage 218, as well as in the ends of the shift left / right and forward / backward of car 218.

Also, when the slide rail 228 is extends beyond the leading edge of bar 230, the mechanism described above for carriage positioning 218 is particularly advantageous since it allows a support bar, such like the 22 that has a limited length so that it can move within its total extent, that is, from wall to wall, inside the vending machine housing (and behind of the reinforcements of the corners, supports and partitions such as partition 208 of figure 8), also allowing the carriage 218 extends beyond its front so that a Desired item can be placed within a collection area for customers external to the internal limits of the housing of the Vending machine.

Many of the benefits of the invention described herein may be particularly useful in a dispensing apparatus for articles of the type presenting a refrigerated compartment, such as a freezer chest that includes several doors in it (as described for the US patent ice cream dispensing machine 5,240,139), together with the controls mentioned above for create and / or maintain aspiration at the grip end of the tube flexible suction.

Although this invention has been shown and described. particularly with references to preferred embodiments of the same, those skilled in the art will understand that they can be done various changes in form and details without departing of the scope of the invention defined by the claims attached. In fact, many of those changes have already been indicated in this description. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or may find out simply through routine experimentation, many embodiments equivalent to the specific embodiments of the invention specifically described in this document. For example, although in the preferred embodiments described a flexible air tube 220 that provides aspiration, in fact a solid element could also be used that has a device grab at its free end, such as a claw that is made function mechanically (or an electromagnetic device or even an independent vacuum generator). It is intended that such equivalent embodiments are within the scope of the attached claims.

The following numbered clauses set forth characteristics of the invention currently considered as Inventive

1. An article retrieval apparatus, which understands:

a storage volume to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that it has a free end to selectively extract a item from item storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the extraction device of articles with a selected axis of the axes longitudinal,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end of the article extraction device in an aligned direction with the longitudinal axes of the storage volume of items, and

a control apparatus coupled to the mechanism of positioning and drive mechanism to cause a controlled movement of the article extraction device so that a selected item is extracted from the volume of storage of items and carried to a predetermined area of the recovery apparatus;

in which:

said article extraction device It is formed by a continuous flexible element that has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point within a supply volume where a length is stored additional of said flexible element, and

the movement of the positioning mechanism causes the movement of the flexible element to be substantially  within the same plane as the movement of the mechanism of positioning

2. The apparatus according to clause 1, in which the plane in which the generation of the element movement is forced flexible is within a fixed volume that is adjacent to the volume supply and substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of Stored items.

3. The apparatus according to clause 1, in which said article retrieval apparatus is part of an apparatus Dispensing items and includes:

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that the apparatus of dispensing dispense a selected item.

4. The apparatus according to clause 1, in which the flexible element of the article extraction device comprises a flexible vacuum tube that is coupled to a source of aspiration.

       \ global \ parskip0.900000 \ baselineskip
    

5. The apparatus according to clause 1 or 4, in which the actuation means is arranged in said mechanism of positioning and comprises a mechanism operated so controlled to engage by friction with the element flexible to cause a controlled extension of the free end of the same inwards and outwards of the area of storage of items.

6. The apparatus according to clause 4, in which said flexible tube includes corrugations and in which the mechanism operated in a controlled manner comprises a set of rollers contoured and serrated opposites, placed to engage with the undulations of the flexible tube.

7. The apparatus according to clause 4 or 5, in which said flexible tube is guided by at least 2 sets of redirection rollers, a set located at an exit, for the flexible tube, of the element supply volume flexible, and the other set provided in said mechanism of positioning at an input to the drive means.

8. The apparatus according to clause 7, in which each set of said redirection rollers comprises the minus a pair of rollers placed orthogonally on one side of said flexible element and at least one other roller to maintain said flexible element in contact with said rollers placed from orthogonal way.

9. The apparatus according to clause 7, in which force the article extraction device to move in the storage volume in the plane of the mechanism positioning to a point where the rollers of redirect direct the free end of the device from extraction in alignment with a selected axis of the axes Longitudinal storage volume.

10. The apparatus according to clause 1 or 3, in the that the article extraction device comprises a tube Flexible hollow and uses vacuum pressure to grab items.

11. The apparatus according to clause 1 or 4, in the that the article extraction device comprises an element solid that features an article grip mechanism in its extreme.

12. The apparatus according to clause 1 or 3, in the that the positioning mechanism moves in a plane by a rectangular movement (x / y).

13. The apparatus according to clause 1 or 3, in the that the positioning mechanism moves in a plane by a radial movement (R, theta) or a movement curved.

14. The apparatus according to clause 3, in which the article dispensing apparatus includes a housing that it has an inner wall parallel to a side wall of the same, parallel walls that form a space adjacent to the area of storage of articles, space that forms said volume of supply.

15. The apparatus according to clause 14, in which a set of redirect rollers that engage with said flexible element are coupled to said side wall inside at a point where said flexible element leaves the supply volume

16. The apparatus according to clause 3, in which a end of said flexible element that is opposite to said end Free is coupled to a suction source.

17. The apparatus according to clause 16, in which said suction source comprises an air flow source relatively high and relatively low aspiration.

18. The apparatus according to clause 16, in which said suction source comprises an air flow source relatively lower and relatively higher aspiration.

19. The apparatus according to clause 3, in which the Flexible element supply volume is located in a plane of the housing so as not to cross the longitudinal axis of the area of storage of items.

20. The apparatus according to clause 3, in which force said continuous length of the flexible element to move in a gravity-induced loop formed within the volume of flexible element supply.

21. The apparatus according to clause 20, in which the gravity-induced loop is formed by a dead weight rolling between two parallel walls, walls that define a lateral dimension of the item supply volume flexible.

22. The apparatus according to clause 6, which includes a rotating coupling at the free end of said element flexible to allow rotation of the flexible element with Regarding the free end.

23. An article handling device To move an item, item handling device which includes:

a head (224) adapted to engage and stick to an article (223),

a substantially non-compressible tube (220) that connect the head to a stationary source of energy (229, 226) article fixing,

a feeding mechanism (508, 506, 510) that move the tube to move the head along a first axis,

a first device (218; 233, 633, 228, 230, 232) positioning that moves the feed mechanism to along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and

a second device (230, 234, 236, 238) of positioning that moves the first positioning device along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axis.

24. The item handling device according to clause 23, in which the movement of the head with with respect to the first, second and third axis corresponds to the movement in a Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, Z).

25. An article handling device To move an item, item handling device which includes:

a movable head (224) adapted to engage and attach to an article (223),

a substantially non-compressible tube (220) that connect the moving head to a stationary source of energy (229, 226) article fixing,

a feeding mechanism (508, 506, 510) that move the tube to move the head along a first axis,

a first device (218; 233, 633, 228, 230, 232) positioning that moves the feed mechanism to along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and

a second device (described as a mechanism r,)) of positioning that moves the first device of positioning around a third axis parallel to the first axis.

26. The item handling device according to clause 25, in which the movement of the head with with respect to the first, second and third axis corresponds to a movement in a polar coordinate system (r, the).

27. The item handling device according to clause 23 or 25, wherein said tube comprises a tube flexible air, said article fixing energy source comprises a source of vacuum pressure and said energy of Item fixing comprises vacuum pressure.

28. The item handling device according to clause 23 or 25, in which:

the tube (220) comprises a length predetermined tube from inside an area (222) of tube supply in which the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), to said head (224),

the length is divided into a first and a second segment of adjacent variable length, the first segment extending between the source (229, 226) and the mechanism (508, 506, 510) power, and the second segment extending between the feeding mechanism and the head, and

in which the displacement of the tube through the feeding mechanism modifies the relative lengths of the First and second segment.

29. The item handling device according to clause 23 or 25, in which:

the tube comprises a predetermined length of tube from inside a tube supply zone (222) in which the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), up to said head (224),

a part of that length is divided into a first and in a second segment of adjacent variable length, the first segment extending between an exit point, for the tube, zone (222) tube supply and mechanism (508, 506, 510) power, and the second segment extending between the feeding mechanism and the head, and

in which the movement of the mechanism of feeding caused by at least one of the first and second positioning device modifies relative lengths of the first and second segment.

30. The item handling device according to clause 23 or 25, in which the first device of positioning includes a first part (218; 233, 633 and part of 228) that can move along the second axis with respect to to a second part (part of 228, 230, 232) of the first device of positioning that cannot move along the second axis.

       \ global \ parskip1.000000 \ baselineskip
    

31. The item handling device according to clause 30, in which the first part of the first positioning device comprises a carriage (218) containing the feeding mechanism, and the second part of the first positioning device comprises a bar (230) that It contains a rack (232), in which the car includes an engine (233) that drives the rack so that the car can move in one direction along the bar (230).

32. The item handling device according to clause 23 or 25, in which the second device of positioning comprises a first part (230, part of 234, 236, 243) that can move along the third axis with respect to a second part (part of 234, 238) of the second device of positioning that cannot move along the third axis.

33. The item handling device according to clause 32, in which:

the first part of the second device of positioning comprises a first bar (230) having an axis longitudinal parallel to the second axis,

the second part of the second device of positioning comprises a second bar (236 or 255 in the figure 8) and a rack (238), both having a longitudinal axis parallel to the third axis,

a sliding mechanism (234 in the figure 3 or 256a, 256b, 258 and 260 in Figure 8) which couples so sliding the first bar (230) to the second bar (236 or 255 in Figure 8), and

a motor (243) arranged in the first bar (230), attaches to the rack (238) so that the carriage can move along the third axis.

34. The apparatus according to clause 23 or 25, in the that said article retrieval apparatus is part of a item dispensing apparatus and includes:

a housing,

an item storage volume included in the housing to store items along a plurality of longitudinal axes parallel to the first axis,

a dispensing hole included in said housing through which stored items retrieved through the article retrieval apparatus they are dispensed to a user of the device, and

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that the apparatus of dispensing dispense a selected item.

35. The apparatus according to clause 34, in which the movement in said first axis corresponds to a movement directional up / down in said housing and the movement in said second and third axis each corresponds with one of either a forward / forward directional movement behind or to the left / right, respectively, in said housing.

36. The apparatus according to clause 34, in which the movement in said first axis corresponds to one of either a directional movement forward / backward or towards the left / right in said housing and movement in said second and third axis each corresponds to one of either a directional movement forward / backward or towards up / down, respectively, in said housing.

37. The apparatus according to clause 34, in which the head can move separately through each of a plurality of openings that define a grid in the volume of storage of items.

38. The apparatus according to clause 37, which It also includes:

a plurality of storage tanks of articles that extend parallel to the first axis, each of the plurality of deposits defining a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings.

39. An article dispensing apparatus, which understands:

a storage volume adapted to store items to be dispensed, the volume of storage contained in a forward plane, in a plane rear, in an upper plane, in a lower plane, in a plane left and on a right plane,

an item dispensing area located in one side of said front plane opposite said volume of storage of items,

an article grip mechanism that includes a free end to position itself in a controlled manner within the storage volume to selectively grab a item stored in it,

a positioning mechanism coupled to article grip mechanism and responds to control signals  to position the grip device in a controlled manner within the storage volume and between the volume of storage and dispensing area of items,

a carriage mechanism coupled to the device grip items, and

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus of items start an item dispensing operation and to cause a controlled movement of the gripping device of items and the positioning mechanism so that a Selected item is repositioned from the volume of storage to the dispensing area;

wherein said positioning mechanism it comprises a mobile support bar that has an axis longitudinal that crosses the storage volume in a direction towards said front plane and that can move in a direction perpendicular to it to position itself between said plane left and right plane said, and

wherein said carriage mechanism is coupled to said support bar such that said carriage can selectively position along the longitudinal axis of said support bar and can extend past one end front of it, thereby allowing the article selected position again in the dispensing area of articles on said opposite side of said front plane.

40. An article dispensing apparatus, which It comprises a housing that includes:

a storage area to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that includes a free end to selectively extract a item from storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the device with an axis selected from the longitudinal axes,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis in the storage area,

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected item removed from the storage area of items and carried to a dispensing zone of the dispensing apparatus, and

a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall for split the interior space of the housing into multiple volumes of storage of vertically oriented items or horizontal;

in which each storage volume of articles includes its own article extraction device and positioning mechanism.

41. The apparatus according to clause 40, in which the positioning mechanism in one of said volumes of storage works on 3 coordinate axes (x, y, z) and a positioning mechanism in a storage volume different works in less than 3 axes (x or y, y z; or only z).

42. An article dispensing apparatus, which It comprises a housing that includes:

a storage area to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that includes a free end to selectively extract a item from storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the device with an axis selected from the longitudinal axes,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area,

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected item removed from the storage area of items and carried to a dispensing zone of the dispensing apparatus, and

a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall for split the interior space of the housing into multiple volumes of storage of vertically aligned items or horizontal;

in which each of the multiple volumes of item storage uses an extraction device common items and a positioning mechanism.

43. An item dispensing apparatus that It comprises a housing that includes:

a storage area to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that includes a flexible suction tube that has one end free to selectively extract an item from the volume of storage,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the device with an axis selected from the longitudinal axes,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area,

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected item removed from the storage area of items and carried to a dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus,

a vertical or horizontal shelf or wall for split the interior space of the housing into multiple volumes of storage of vertically aligned items or horizontal, each item storage volume including your own article extraction device, and

two sources of aspiration, one presenting a high aspiration and low flow, and one presenting a low aspiration and high flow;

in which a respective source of said two suction sources supplies aspiration to the flexible tube of a respective device of the extraction devices of articles.

44. The apparatus according to clause 43, in which said dispensing zone of the dispensing apparatus includes multiple collection boxes for customers, each accessed by a device different from the extraction devices of articles.

45. The apparatus according to clause 44, in which Each collection box for customers is for a certain class of items to be dispensed.

46. The apparatus according to clause 43, in which multiple volumes of article storage divide the interior space of the housing in at least two volumes, each volume presenting an indoor environmental state predetermined.

47. The apparatus according to clause 46, in which a volume has a cooled interior environment and a volume has a indoor environmental environment.

48. An article retrieval apparatus, which It includes:

a storage area to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

at least two extraction devices of items, each including a flexible suction tube that it has a free end to selectively extract a item from storage volume,

at least two positioning mechanisms, each one coupled to a corresponding device of the devices item extraction and responding to control signals to align the free end of the article extraction device corresponding with a selected axis of the axes longitudinal,

a drive mechanism coupled to each article extraction device to move the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area,

a control apparatus to allow a user of the recovery device start an operation of retrieval of items and to cause controlled movement of a corresponding pair of article extraction device and positioning mechanism so that an article selected is extracted from the storage area of items and be taken to a recovery zone, and

       \ newpage
    

two sources of aspiration, one presenting a high aspiration and low flow, and one presenting a low aspiration and high flow;

in which a respective source of said two suction sources supplies aspiration to the flexible tube of a respective device of said extraction devices of articles.

49. The apparatus according to clause 48, in which the recovery zone of the recovery apparatus includes a basket of items and a transport system for movement between a plurality of different locations in the apparatus of recovery and recovery zone, and in which during said movement between different locations in the device recovery, storage area items are placed inside the basket using the extraction devices of articles.

50. The apparatus according to clause 48, in which the recovery zone is located in a service post, of a gas station or parking lot, which can be accessed Through the car window.

51. The apparatus according to clause 48, in which item storage area, devices article extraction and positioning mechanisms are all located together and the control device that allows a user of the recovery device start an operation of item retrieval is located remotely at same.

52. An article retrieval article, which includes:

a storage volume to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that it has a free end to selectively extract a item from item storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the extraction device of articles with a selected axis of the axes longitudinal,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end of the article extraction device in an aligned direction with the longitudinal axes of the storage volume of items, and

a control apparatus coupled to the mechanism of positioning and drive mechanism to cause a controlled movement of the article extraction device so that a selected item is extracted from the volume of storage of items and carried to a predetermined area of the recovery apparatus;

in which:

said article extraction device It consists of a continuous flexible element, and

the movement of the positioning mechanism causes the movement of the flexible element to be substantially  within the same plane as the movement of the mechanism of positioning

53. The apparatus according to clause 52, in which it is forced that said movement of the flexible element occurs within a fixed volume that is adjacent to a volume of flexible and substantially orthogonal element supply to the shaft Longitudinal items stored.

54. The apparatus according to clause 52, in which said article retrieval apparatus is part of an apparatus of dispensing items, and includes:

a user interface and a control device to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate a item dispensing operation and to cause movement controlled of the article extraction device and the positioning mechanism so that the apparatus of dispensing dispense a selected item.

55. The apparatus according to clause 52, in which the flexible element of the article extraction device comprises a flexible vacuum tube that is coupled to a source of aspiration.

56. The apparatus according to clause 52 or 55, in the that the actuation means is arranged in said mechanism of positioning and comprises a mechanism operated so controlled to engage by friction to the flexible element to cause a controlled extension of the free end thereof in and out of the storage area Of articles.

       \ newpage
    

57. An article handling device To move an item, item handling device which includes:

a head (224) adapted to engage and stick to an article (223),

a substantially non-compressible tube (220) that connect the head to a power source (229, 226) fixing articles, the tube (220) comprising a predetermined length flexible tube, extending from inside an area (222) stationary tube supply in which the tube is connected to said source (229, 226), to said head (224),

a feeding mechanism (508, 506, 510) that move the tube to move the head along a first axis (Z),

a first device (218; 233, 633, 228, 230, 232) positioning that moves the feed mechanism to along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis, and

a second device (230, 234, 236, 238) of positioning that moves the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axis.

58. The apparatus according to clause 57, in the that:

said tube includes corrugations, and

the feeding mechanism comprises a set of opposite rollers placed to engage by tube friction

59. The apparatus according to clause 58, in the that:

at least one of the opposite rollers is contoured and has teeth to hook with the ripples of the tube.

60. A vending machine, comprising:

a housing,

an item storage area located in the inner volume of the housing,

a flexible non-compressible suction tube substantially continuous presenting an adapted free end to extract items from said storage area and a stationary end coupled to a suction source,

a flexible tube positioning mechanism coupled to said flexible suction tube between said end free and said stationary end to position so controlled said free end so that it is aligned with an axis longitudinal along which a given item is stored in said storage area, and

flexible tube drive means located together with said positioning mechanism of flexible tube to drive said flexible tube in a controlled manner in a direction aligned with said longitudinal axis so said free end can extract an article from said zone of storage;

in which:

said tube drive mechanism flexible is arranged in said positioning mechanism of flexible tube and comprises a mechanism operated in a manner controlled to engage by friction with the flexible tube suction to cause controlled extension of the end free inward and outward from the area of storage of items.

61. An article handling device To move an item, item handling device which includes:

a head (224) adapted to engage and stick to an article (223),

a substantially non-compressible tube (220) that connect the head to a power source (229, 226) fixing articles,

a feeding mechanism (508, 506, 510) that move the tube to move the head along a first axis (Z),

       \ newpage
    

a first device (218; 233, 633, 228, 230, 232) positioning that moves the feed mechanism to along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis, and

a second device (230, 234, 236, 238) of positioning that moves the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axis;

in which the tube has a fixed length default comprising a first and a second segment of concatenated variable length, the first segment extending between the power source (229, 226) of article fixing and the power mechanism (508, 506, 510), and the second segment extending between the feeding mechanism and the head, and

in which the displacement of the tube through the feeding mechanism modifies the relative lengths of the First and second segment.

62. An article handling device To move an item, item handling device which includes:

a head (224) adapted to engage and stick to an article (223),

a substantially non-compressible tube (220) that connect the head to a power source (229, 226) fixing articles,

a feeding mechanism (508, 506, 510) that move the tube to move the head along a first axis (Z),

a first device (218; 233, 633, 228, 230, 232) positioning that moves the feed mechanism to along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis, and

a second device (230, 234, 236, 238) of positioning that moves the first positioning device along a third axis (X) perpendicular to the first and second axis;

in which the tube has a fixed length default comprising a first, second and third segment concatenated variable length tube, the first segment extending between the head and the feeding mechanism, the second segment extending between the feeding mechanism and a tube supply zone (222) in which the tube is connected to said power source (229, 226) for fixing articles, and the third segment extending between a point of input volume of tube supply and power source (229, 226) article fixation, and

in which the displacement of the tube through the feeding mechanism modifies the relative lengths of the first, of the second and third segment.

63. An article retrieval apparatus, which understands:

a storage volume to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that it has a free end to selectively extract a item from item storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the extraction device of articles with a selected axis of the axes longitudinal,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end of the article extraction device in an aligned direction with the longitudinal axes of the storage volume of items, and

a control apparatus coupled to the mechanism of positioning and drive mechanism to cause a controlled movement of the article extraction device so that a selected item is extracted from the volume of storage of items and carried to a predetermined area of the recovery apparatus;

in which:

said article extraction device it is formed by a continuous flexible element that has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point within a supply volume in which a additional length of said flexible element, and

       \ newpage
    

said control signals cause a movement plane of the positioning mechanism, plane movement that causes the movement of a part of the flexible element that is between the scope of delivery and the mechanism of positioning is substantially within the same plane as the flat movement of the positioning mechanism.

64. An article retrieval apparatus, which understands:

a storage volume to store articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes,

an article extraction device that it has a free end to selectively extract a item from item storage volume,

a positioning mechanism coupled to item extraction device and responds to signals from control to align the free end of the extraction device of articles with a selected axis of the axes longitudinal,

a drive mechanism coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end of the article extraction device in an aligned direction with the longitudinal axes of the storage volume of items, and

a control apparatus coupled to the mechanism of positioning and drive mechanism to cause a controlled movement of the article extraction device so that a selected item is extracted from the volume of storage of items and carried to a predetermined area of the recovery apparatus;

wherein said extraction device of items is formed by a continuous flexible element that has a substantially fixed length from its free end to a point within a supply volume in which a additional length of said flexible element; Y

in which the movement of the mechanism of positioning causes a corresponding movement of the element flexible inward and / or outward of the volume of supply.

Claims (34)

         \ global \ parskip0.900000 \ baselineskip
      

1. An article retrieval apparatus, which understands: a volume (215) of storage for store items along a plurality of axes longitudinal, a device (220, 224) for extracting items that have a free end to extract so Selective article (223) from storage volume (215) Of articles, a mechanism (218, 233, 228, 230, 232) of positioning coupled to the article extraction device to align the free end of the extraction device of articles with a selected axis of the longitudinal axes, a drive mechanism (508, 506, 510) coupled to the article extraction device to move the free end of the article extraction device in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes of the volume of storage, and a control apparatus (400) coupled to the positioning mechanism and drive mechanism for cause a controlled movement of the extraction device of items so that a selected item is extracted from the storage volume of items and carried to an area default recovery device; characterized in that: said article extraction device comprises a continuous flexible element (220) that extends to through a part (218) of the positioning mechanism from its free end up to a volume (222) of supply, separated from the article extraction device and the mechanism of positioning, where in the supply volume a length of said flexible element, and the movement of the positioning mechanism causes a corresponding movement of the flexible element towards inside or outside the scope of delivery. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism (218, 233, 228, 230, 232) moves within a plane to position the free end of the device item extraction and in which the movement of the mechanism positioning within said plane causes the movement corresponding of the flexible element is substantially inside of the same space as the movement of the mechanism of positioning 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, in the that the movement of the extraction device (220, 240) of articles in said direction aligned with the longitudinal axes of the volume (215) of article storage causes a corresponding movement of the flexible element inwards or outward from the volume (222) of supply. 4. An article retrieval device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said flat movement of the positioning mechanism (218, 230, 228, 232, 233) causes the movement of a part of the flexible element (220) that is between the scope of delivery and the positioning mechanism is substantially within the same plane as the plane movement of the positioning mechanism. 5. An article retrieval device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein: the volume (215) of storage is for store items along a plurality of axes parallel longitudinals, said flexible element (220) is continuous and it has a first and a second end, including said first end of said continuous flexible element said free end of the article extraction device, and said connection being connected second end of the continuous flexible element at a point of Scope of delivery away from the positioning mechanism. 6. An article retrieval device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said positioning mechanism has a height dimension that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the articles stored, height dimension that remains substantially constant during the movement of the mechanism of positioning 7. An article retrieval device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of said positioning mechanism is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axes. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, in which the movement of the flexible element (220) by means positioning is within a plane within a fixed volume which extends, from the scope of delivery, substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of stored items.

         \ global \ parskip1.000000 \ baselineskip
      

9. Device according to any of the previous claims, wherein the flexible element is a flexible tube 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, in the that the extraction device further comprises a source of suction to which the hose is connected. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, in the that said suction source comprises a blower for provide relatively high airflow and aspiration relatively low 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, in the that said suction source comprises a vacuum pump for provide relatively low air flow and aspiration relatively high 13. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the extraction device of articles comprises a solid element that presents a mechanism of grab items at its end. 14. The device according to any of the previous claims, wherein the drive mechanism  is arranged in said positioning mechanism and comprises a mechanism operated in a controlled manner that engages by friction to the flexible element to cause controlled extension from the free end of the same inwards and outwards from the storage area for items. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14 when it depends on claim 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein said flexible element includes undulations and in which the mechanism operated in a controlled manner comprises a set of rollers matching placed to engage with the undulations. 16. The device according to any of the previous claims, wherein said flexible element is guide using at least two sets of rollers redirection, a set (213) located at an exit of the Flexible element supply volume and the other set (502, 504) disposed in said positioning mechanism at an entrance to the drive means (506, 508). 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, in the that each set of said redirection rollers comprises at least one pair of orthogonally placed rollers on one side of said flexible element and at least one other roller for keeping said flexible element in contact with said rollers placed orthogonally. 18. The apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, in which the flexible element of the device is forced item removal move from storage volume in the plane of the positioning mechanism to a point in the that the redirection rollers line the free end of the extraction device with a selected axis from the axes Longitudinal storage volume. 19. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 18, wherein the positioning mechanism is arranged to move in said plane by a movement rectangular. 20. Apparatus according to claim 19, in the that the positioning mechanism includes a first device positioning to move the extraction device articles along a first axis (Y, 228) orthogonal to the said longitudinal axes and a second device of positioning to move the extraction device of articles along a second axis (X, 234) orthogonal to the said longitudinal axes and said first axis. 21. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 1 to 18, wherein the positioning mechanism it is arranged to move in said plane by one of: a) a radial and rotating movement; and b) a curvilinear movement. 22. The device according to any of the previous claims, which includes a housing containing the  said supply volume of the flexible element and said zone of article storage adjacent to it and the volume of supply and storage area being separated by a inner wall (246) parallel to a side wall (248) of the Case. 23. The apparatus according to claim 22 when it depends on claim 16 or 17, wherein a set of redirection rollers that engage with said element flexible are coupled to said inner side wall (246) in a point at which said flexible element leaves the volume of supply. 24. The device according to any of the previous claims, wherein the volume (222) of Flexible element supply is located in a plane of the housing not to cross the longitudinal axis of the area of storage of items. 25. The device according to any of the previous claims, wherein a mechanism (250) forces that  said continuous length of the flexible element moves in a loop induced by gravity formed within the volume (222) of flexible element supply. 26. The apparatus according to claim 25, in the that said forcing mechanism (250) comprises a weight rolling dead that hooks to the flexible element to form the gravity induced loop. 27. The device according to any of the previous claims, wherein said recovery apparatus  of articles is part of an apparatus for dispensing articles and includes: a user interface (406, 26) and a device (400) of control to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus start an item dispensing operation and to cause a controlled movement of the article extraction device and of the positioning mechanism so that the apparatus of dispensing dispense a selected item. 28. The item handling device according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein the flexible tube it comprises a first and a second segment of variable length concatenated, the first segment extending between the source of suction (229, 226) and the mechanism (508, 506, 510) of drive, and the second segment extending between the drive mechanism and said free end, and in which the tube displacement via the drive mechanism modify the relative lengths of the first and second segment. 29. The item handling device according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein the flexible tube it comprises a first, a second and a third tube segment flexible variable length concatenated, the first segment extending between said free end and the mechanism of drive, the second segment extending between the mechanism of actuation and an entry point at which the flexible tube is enter the supply volume (222), and the third segment extending between the entry point of this volume of supply and a point where the flexible tube is connected to the suction source (229, 226), and in which the displacement of the flexible tube by means of the drive mechanism modifies the relative lengths of the first, second and third segment. 30. An item dispensing apparatus that it comprises a housing divided into a plurality of volumes of storage of items, each storage volume of articles presenting an article retrieval apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 25. 31. An item dispensing apparatus according to claim 30, comprising an interface (406, 26) of user and a control apparatus (400) to allow a user of the dispensing apparatus initiate a dispensing operation of items and to cause controlled movement of the device article extraction and positioning mechanism of so that the dispensing apparatus dispenses an article selected. 32. Apparatus according to claim 31, in the that one of the article retrieval devices has a vacuum pump to provide relatively low air flow and a relatively high aspiration and other of the apparatus of item recovery has a blower to provide a relatively high air flow and relatively aspirated low. 33. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, in which the flexible tube has a predetermined fixed length. 34. Apparatus according to claim 33, in the that the flexible tube is not compressible.