TW201740350A - Automatic dispensing machine for dispensing products - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic dispensing machine (1) for dispensing products (12), comprising: a supporting structure (2) delimiting an inner compartment (3); a front wall (20) closing the compartment; a plurality of superimposed shelves (4) arranged in the inner compartment (3) to house a plurality of products (12) to be dispensed; said shelves having a front end (4a) spaced from said front wall (20) to form a space (S) vertically extending between said plurality of shelves and said front wall; dispensing means (7) to dispense products from the inside of said compartment to the outside of said compartment; carrying means (5) to carry the products from said shelves (4) to said product dispensing means (7), said carrying means (5) being vertically movable in the space (S) between said shelves and said front wall (20); characterized in that said product carrying means (5) have a rest position arranged in the upper portion of said space (S), above said shelves (4).

Description

Automatic dispensing machine for dispensing products

The present invention relates to the field of automatic dispensing machines, also known as "vending machines", for accommodating and dispensing packaged products such as bottles, cans, snacks and the like.

Known dispensing machines typically have a structure that is provided with an inner compartment for containing machine contents, i.e., a stock of products for the dispensing machine. Typically, the structure has a front panel and the products are arranged in columns on a plurality of racks, i.e., they are arranged in rows. A space is reserved between the front panel and the product, and appropriate mechanisms are provided such that they can be dispensed. Typically, such mechanisms move the product selected by the user by moving the product until it is released from the reservation, thereby causing it to fall into an area that is accessible to the user as long as it is accessible. In other words, when the user selects the desired product, the product falls to the area accessible to the user and also covers the distance that is long during the drop. This is undesirable for certain types of products, such as when dispensing a beverage in a fragile container, or when dispensing a carbonated beverage.

To address this problem, some dispensing machines use a lift to extract the product from the respective rack and carry it to the area accessible to the user, thus limiting the length of the drop of the respective product.

These solutions actually enable the assigned product to not be destroyed, but It is not without problems. First, the manufacture and assembly of such systems on such machines is particularly complex.

Moreover, the dispensing times of such products are very different from each other (as a function of their position) and are particularly long for certain products (those on the top). Moreover, it is unpleasant for the user to see the lift.

It is an object of the present invention to address these problems of the prior art.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic dispensing machine in which the products are dispensed to the user in a short period of time to avoid dropping them over long distances.

These and other objects are achieved by a dispensing machine in accordance with item 1 of the scope of the patent application. The preferred point of view is set forth in the scope of the patent application of the subsidiary.

According to one aspect of the invention, an automatic dispensing machine includes a support structure defining an inner compartment, a front wall portion enclosing the compartment, and a plurality of interiors disposed within the inner compartment for accommodating a plurality of Stacked racks of dispensed products. The racks have a front end portion spaced apart from the front wall portion to form a space that extends vertically between the plurality of racks and the front wall portion. The machine further includes a dispensing mechanism for dispensing products from the interior of the compartment to the exterior of the compartment, and a carrying mechanism for carrying the products from the racks to the product dispensing mechanism. The carrying mechanism is vertically movable between the racks and the front wall portion in the space. In particular, the product carrying mechanism has a rest position disposed above the racks in the upper portion of the mentioned space.

As is well known, the "rest position" of the carrying mechanism is at the machine The position at which the carrying mechanism is held when on standby, that is, the position that the carrying mechanism employs at the end of the product dispensing operation and is held until the subsequent dispensing operation of another product begins.

It should be noted that in the following references, "above", "below", "above", "below", "upper", "lower" are used. Such definitions are apparent to those skilled in the art and are intended to refer to the automatic dispensing machine under a ready-to-use condition, i.e., a machine as shown in the drawings; in other words, such definitions Referring to the upright axis of the machine, the "lower" position is abutting, i.e., facing the ground.

When a product has to be dispensed, the carrier is moved downward from the rest position, ie towards the racks, to receive the product desired by the user, and then to continue their journey to the dispensing mechanism . In view of this, the carrying mechanism must cover that the journeys from which the products are extracted and which must be delivered to the dispensing mechanism are always the same and which occur only in one direction. When the carrier returns to its rest position (i.e., they move up), the product has been delivered to the dispensing mechanism. Therefore, the time elapsed for the portable mechanism to return to the rest position is not a waiting time of the user, and the user can quickly receive the product without waiting for the return trip of the portable mechanism. In fact, the return trip of the carrier occurs after the product has been assigned to the user.

A quick assignment (obtained by only one trip from top to bottom) brings another advantage, in fact the use of a detection system for detecting the product in the carrier can be avoided. Typically, in conventional detection systems that use a product movement system, there is a need to ensure that the product is delivered in the carrier to avoid idle travel, thereby increasing the dispense time. This is implemented by sensors that are expensive and cause manufacturing and repair This machine is of great complexity because of the need for removable wiring that is easily disconnected during use.

Furthermore, advantageously, in the event of a failure of the carrying mechanism, the dispensing machine will continue to operate as the same conventional machine, waiting for the repair. In fact, in this case, the carrying mechanism is moved to the rest position and the products are dropped directly from the rack to the dispensing mechanism.

According to an aspect of the invention, the front wall portion includes a transparent portion such that the racks are visible, and the rest position of the carrying mechanism is a non-transparent portion disposed in the front wall portion. In other words, in the rest position, the products are visible due to the transparent portion, and the carrying mechanism is substantially hidden from the user. Therefore, the product field of view is not disturbed by the presence of the carrier.

According to one aspect of the invention, the product carrying mechanism includes at least one tray that is tiltable relative to the front wall portion. This allows these products to be extracted and delivered comfortably and easily.

According to one aspect of the invention, the automatic dispensing machine includes a motor and a drive belt that is operated by the motor. The carrying mechanism is attached to the belt so that they can be moved by the belt. The motor, the belt, and the product carrying mechanisms are combined on a frame that is received in the interior compartment being referred to.

This enables the carrying mechanism to be simply moved and can likewise be easily assembled on the automatic dispensing machine.

In particular, according to one aspect, the frame is removably assembled to the structure so that it can be replaced quickly. In more detail, the motor, the belt, and the product carrying mechanism are removable with the frame.

In this way, the maintenance and installation of the carrying mechanism, the motor and the belt are particularly simple. Moreover, such elements are substantially self-contained such that a particular modification to the dispensing machine is not required in addition to combining the frame thereon.

According to one aspect, the product dispensing mechanism includes a fold-down drawer to receive the products from the carrying mechanism. The lower folded drawer is typically configured to prevent the inner compartment from being accessed from the exterior of the machine while still allowing the products to be dispensed from the interior of the machine (i.e., the inner compartment) to the exterior of the machine .

According to one aspect, the product carrying mechanism is a plurality of positions movable to a portion corresponding to the racks for accommodating the products (ie, positions corresponding to at least portions of the racks), and a The products are released between the release positions of the dispensing mechanism. This release position is disposed above at least the underlying rack of the mentioned racks. In this way, the products of the underlying rack can be delivered directly to the dispensing mechanism without the need for a carrying mechanism. The products of the underlying rack are already disposed next to the dispensing mechanism whereby they do not need to be carried towards the dispensing mechanism. Therefore, the travel of the carrying mechanism can be further shortened, thus further shortening the waiting time of the user.

In this case, according to one aspect of the invention, the products contained in the underlying rack are typically, for example, due to their weight and due to a low temperature requirement, including beverage bottles and/or cans. These products are therefore the products that drop the shortest trip to reach the machine of the dispensing mechanism.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for dispensing a product from a dispensing machine in accordance with one or more of the foregoing aspects, comprising the steps of: moving a product carrying mechanism at which the portable device receives at least one Multiple locations of products from a rack, And releasing the products into the dispensing mechanism to dispense a product release location of the product. In this regard, the method provides for the steps of releasing the product into the dispensing mechanism, moving the carrying mechanism to a rest position, and maintaining the carrying mechanism in the rest position until the subsequent dispensing cycle. In particular, as previously discussed, the rest position of the carrying mechanism is disposed above the upper frame of the rack.

In the following, exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of an automatic dispensing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; A perspective view of the machine; FIGS. 3 through 7 are schematic side and cross-sectional views of an automatic dispensing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in successive steps of a dispensing cycle, and wherein FIG. 6a is shown in FIG. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the machine of Figure 1 of the machine of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the carrier of the machine of Figure 1; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the frame of the carrier mechanism of Figure 5 Figure 10 is a perspective rear elevational view of the frame of Figure 9 with the carrier in a product release position; Figure 11 is a perspective front view of the frame of Figure 10 with the carrier in itself At the rest of the place.

Referring to the drawings, an automatic dispensing machine 1 (hereinafter also referred to as dispenser 1) includes a support structure 2 defining an inner compartment 3. The support structure is typically substantially flat The shape of the hexahedron, even other shapes are possible. Within the compartment 3 there are a plurality of racks 4 adapted to receive the products 12.

A front wall portion 20 (typically the side facing the user) closes the compartment 3. Preferably, the front wall portion 20 has a transparent portion 20a (for example, a portion made of glass or transparent plastic) so that the racks 4, and thus the products 12, can be The user moves closer to the dispenser 1 and is seen.

The front wall portion 20 is disposed at a distance from the racks 4 such that a space S is formed to extend vertically between the racks 4 and the front wall portion 20. In other words, the racks have a front end portion 4a that faces the front wall portion 20 and is placed at a distance D from the same front wall portion. This distance forms a space S that allows the products 12 to be moved upright by the carrying mechanism, which is better illustrated below.

Typically, the front wall portion 20 is further provided with a known mechanism for controlling and interacting with the dispenser, such as a keyboard 21 for the control input and a payment (for example, for receiving coins) Or card) device and so on.

These racks 4 typically have a plurality of products 12 arranged in rows such that the products 12 are organized in rows and columns. The racks 4 are preferably of a mechanism 6 known in the relevant art and adapted to dispense the products 12 from the rack itself so that they can be brought towards the space S. These mechanisms can have different shapes. In the figures shown, such mechanisms 6 include, for example, spirals 6a. The products 12 are housed between the spirals 6a. Furthermore, the spirals 6a are motorized so as to be rotatable to cause the products 12 to be moved forward until they reach the space S, i.e. until they are disengaged from the screw 6a and the racks 4 . In these figures, only three racks are shown for ease of viewing. Typically, the whole The inner compartment 3 (or in any case its larger portion) is occupied by the racks 4 adapted to receive the products 12. In general, the products 12 are housed on the racks 4 so that they can be disengaged from them when selected by the user. As previously mentioned, other mechanisms 6 different from the spirals 6a can be used.

The carrying mechanism 5 is vertically movable within the space S such that the products 12 can be extracted from the racks 4 and moved to the dispensing mechanism 7 (described better below) The user can remove the selected product 12 (i.e., the product 12 is carried by the carrying mechanism 5 toward the dispensing mechanism 7). As will be better explained below, the rest position of the carrying mechanism 5 (which is shown in Figures 2, 3, 7, 11) is disposed within the upper portion of the space S, in the racks Above the 4, that is, it is above the rack that is configured on the top.

The following may be a possible geometric definition: there is at least one plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carrying mechanism in the rest position, which intersects the upper magazine 4 and is disposed below the carrying mechanism 5 itself. .

As previously mentioned, the definition "upper" must be a ready-to-use condition of the dispenser 1, that is, when the dispenser 1 is inactive, directly or indirectly on the ground, so that These products 12 are assigned to a user. Under this condition, when the first component is placed at a distance from the ground that is less than the distance between the second component and the first component, a first component is placed in a Below the two components.

Preferably, in the rest position, the carrying mechanism 5 is not visible through the transparent portion 20a of the front wall portion 20. To achieve this, in the rest condition, the carrying mechanism 5 is disposed beside the transparent portion 20a of the front wall portion 20.

The carrying mechanism 5 is further movable so as to be suitable for use from such The rack 4 receives the locations of a product 12. Photoelectric conversion devices can be provided on the shelves 4 such that the presence of the carrier can be detected while the carrier is beside the shelves. According to an aspect of the invention, the presence of the photoelectric conversion device can be omitted. The position of the carrying mechanism can be evaluated, for example, by considering the actuation time of the carrying mechanism and the respective moving speed. In such positions, i.e., at the racks 4, the carrying mechanisms may be stationary, otherwise they may move at very low speeds.

The carrying mechanism further has a lower stop, i.e., a position opposite the rest position at which the carrying mechanism stops their descent. At this location, the carrier transmits the product 12 to the dispensing mechanism 7, and for this reason, the location will also be referred to herein as a "release position."

According to one aspect of the invention, the release position is disposed above the lower rack. As previously stated, a possible geometric definition can be as follows: there is at least one plane in the release position that is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carrying mechanism, intersects the underlying rack, and is configured to carry Below the body 5 itself.

More generally, in one embodiment, the carrying mechanisms are configured such that they are unable to receive products from one or more of the racks because their travel (ie, their descent) is attained by such racks Terminated before.

Therefore, the products 12 of the underlying rack (or the underlying racks) that are not reached by the carrying mechanism 5 are not transferred to the carrying mechanism 5, but they will be from the racks 4 It is detached (for example, by rotating the screw 6a) and is directly delivered to the dispensing mechanism 7. Typically, the underlying rack holds a bottled beverage and/or a canned beverage.

In any case, an embodiment is possible in which the carrier reaches all The racks 4 or, in any case, the lower racks. In other words, in one embodiment, the carrying mechanisms are configured to enable them to reach a product from all of the racks 4.

With particular reference to Figures 8, 10, 11, according to an embodiment, the carrying mechanism includes a magazine 5a that is vertically translatable within the space S. The rack 5a has a support surface 5b adapted to support a product 12 that is extracted from the racks 4. During transport of the product 12, the support surface 5b is preferably configured to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the rack 5. Preferably, the side wall portions 5c, 5d are typically provided at the edge of the support surface 5b to enable a product 12 to be retained on the surface itself.

The rack 5a, or a portion thereof, is preferably slantable relative to the front wall portion 20 so as to release the product 12 to be delivered to the dispensing mechanism 7. In other words, at least a portion of the rack 5a is rotatable to enable the product 12 to slide along the support surface 5b toward the dispensing mechanism 7.

In the embodiment shown, as schematically shown in Fig. 6, and, in particular, visible in Fig. 6a, the side wall portion 5d and the support surface 5b are integral with each other, and the like It is rotatable relative to the side surfaces 5c. This relative rotation between the side wall portion 5d and the side surfaces 5c forms a lower opening in the magazine 5a which allows the product 12 to fall toward the dispensing mechanism 7.

In order to move the carrying mechanism 5, a variety of different mechanisms can be selected. In a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the dispenser 1 is provided with a motor M that operates a drive belt 8 (hereinafter also referred to as belt 8) in a known manner. Typically, the motor M is rotated by a spindle 10 that is provided with a gear 11 that engages the belt 8.

The carrying mechanism is constrained by the belt 8, so that the movement of the belt 8 is transmitted The carrier 5 is handed over. In the embodiment shown, the carrying mechanism 5 has a plate 5f bounded by the belt 8.

In a preferred embodiment, the carrying mechanism 5, the motor M and the belt 8 are combined on the same frame 9. In the embodiment shown, the frame is U-shaped, i.e., it has two side portions 9a, 9b that are substantially parallel to each other, and a portion that is substantially perpendicular to the side portions 9a, 9b. Part 9c. The side portions 9a, 9b act as a guide for the carrying mechanism 5. Therefore, the side portions 9a, 9b accommodate the belt 8.

The motor M is preferably constrained by the upper portion 9c of the frame 9. Preferably, as can be seen in Fig. 9, the motor M is combined on the lower surface of the upper portion 9c of the frame 9. Preferably, the upper portion 9c of the frame 9 has side flanges 90c. The motor M is then preferably housed within the volume defined by the side flanges 90c. More generally, the portion 9c can be arcuate whereby the motor M is preferably received within the volume defined by the upper portion 9c of the frame 9. In other words, considering a front view of the frame 9, the motor M is assembled to the frame 9 so as to be hidden by the frame itself in a front view.

In any event, embodiments in which the motor is placed outside of the frame are not excluded. For example, in a variant embodiment not shown in the figures, the motor can be placed on the side relative to the frame.

In general, the release mechanism can be moved between the different positions previously discussed by the belt on which the motor M is operated.

According to an embodiment, the carrying mechanism has wheels or wheels 5e, and the frame 9 has rails 9d for such wheels or wheels 5e. Preferably, the rails 9d have a curved or angled portion at the lower stop of the carrying mechanism 5 to enable the product 12 to be carried from the carrier. The belt mechanism 5 is disengaged.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the wheels 5e are constrained by the side wall portion 5d and are constrained by the support surface 5b. When the wheels 5e reach the curved portion of the track 9d, the support surface 5b is rotated relative to the side wall portions 5c, thereby creating an opening at the bottom of the rack 5 from which the product 12 can be self-contained. The rack itself is disengaged so that the dispensing mechanism 7 can be reached. In other words, the tracks 9d act as a cam for the wheels 5e, and the wheels 5e act as a follower. In an alternative embodiment, the entire rack 5 is rotatable.

The frame 9 is preferably an element that is reversibly constrained by the structure 2, such as by a threaded connector, such as a screw or rivet. In this way, the installation, removal and maintenance of the carrying mechanism 5 and the various components that move them are simple and fast. The embodiment in which the framework is integrated, which is not shown, or which is irreversibly in any way constrained by the structure of the dispenser 1, is not excluded.

The dispenser 1 further has a dispensing mechanism 7 that allows a user to obtain the desired product 12. In particular, the dispensing mechanism 7 is configured to enable the user to extract the product 12 from the machine while the user is prevented from reaching the inner compartment 3.

The dispensing mechanism 7 can include a door that is not shown in the drawings, typically configured to be below the carrying mechanism 5 such that when the carrying mechanism 5 is in the released position and they are from the product When the 12 is disengaged, the product 12 is directed towards the door. The door can be operated in a controlled manner, such as by a separate motor. Alternatively, it can be mechanically operated by the lowering of the carrying mechanism 5. Additionally, the door can be operated by contact with the dropped product 12. In general, when a product 12 abuts the door itself, the door is preferably configured to open of. The door allows the product 12 to exit the inner compartment 3.

Typically, the dispenser 1 is provided with an extraction zone 7b which is also surrounded by the structure 2, from which the product 12 from the compartment 3 (for example due to the opening of the door) can be accommodated, waiting for the use Use it. In an embodiment, this extraction area can be contained within the lower folded drawer 7a. This drawer is hinged to the structure 2 and is rotatable between at least two positions. In a first position, shown in Figures 3 to 6, the lower folded drawer 7a is placed such that the extraction area 7b faces the compartment 3 so that a product 12 from the compartment itself can be received.

The lower folded drawer 7a can then be rotated by the user to a second position (Fig. 7) so that the extraction area can face the user itself, in such a manner that the user can access the extraction area 7b and The product 12 contained therein is extracted.

In an embodiment shown in the figures, the presence of the folded down drawer 7a may cause the door to be omitted. Other embodiments are possible. For example, the extraction area, except for the inside of the lower folded drawer 7a, may be, for example, a non-movable area of the structure 2 provided instead of the lower folded drawer 7a. This extraction zone typically has a port that communicates with the exterior. A door can be used to close the port. The opening of the door enables the extraction area 7b to be accessed by the user, and thus the desired product 12 can be reached. In addition, the door can be omitted.

In use, a user selects a product 12 that is housed within the dispenser 1. If the product 12 is contained within a shelf that the carrier is unable to reach (e.g., the lower shelf in the illustrated embodiment), the product 12 is directly released. To the distribution mechanism 7.

If the selected product 12 is received on a rack 4 that the carrying mechanism 5 can reach, the carrying mechanism 5 is operated to enable the mentioned rack to be Reached. In particular, waiting in the rest position, that is to say the carrier 5 arranged above the magazine 4, is operated, ie lowered, until the selected product 12 is placed The rack was reached.

Once the rack is reached, the product 12 is transferred from the rack to the carrying mechanism. As previously mentioned, various different mechanisms are known in the related art to perform this operation. For example, referring to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the spirals 6a are operated until the selected product 12 is released from the respective racks and screws, and The carrier 5 extracts.

It should be noted that once the desired rack is reached, it is possible for the carrying mechanism 5 to remain stationary or that they have reduced their speed. Furthermore, the action of the spirals 6a or the like mechanism can be synchronized with the movement of the carrying mechanism 5. The carrying mechanism 5 can thus maintain their speed fixed and receive the product 12 from the respective rack 4 at the correct time. Once the product 12 is taken up by the carrying mechanism 5, the mechanisms 5 continue their journey until the release position is reached, i.e., until they reach their descending end.

Referring to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the magazine 5a is moved on the frame 9 until the wheels or wheels 5e engage the portion of the corner of the respective track 9d, thus The rotation of the support surface 5a and the detachment of the product 12 from the rack 5a are caused.

In general, in the release position, the carrying mechanism 5 delivers the product 12 to the dispensing mechanism 7. Typically, at least a portion of the carrying mechanism 5 is rotated to allow the product 12 to be dropped from the same carrying mechanism 5.

The dispensing mechanism 7 allows the product 12 to exit the compartment 3 and be reached by the user. Referring to the illustrated embodiment, the carrier directs the product 12 toward the extraction area 7b drops. Once the product 12 has reached the extraction area, the user can retrieve the previously selected product 12. For example, the user can operate the lower folded drawer so that the extraction area 7b can be brought to a position where the product 12 contained therein can be taken out by the user.

At the same time, after the carrier 12 has dispensed the product 12 to the dispensing mechanism 7, the carrying mechanism is moved, i.e., raised, so that it can be returned to the rest position, waiting for a new dispensing cycle.

Claims (12)

An automatic dispensing machine (1) for dispensing a product (12) comprising: a support structure (2) defining an inner compartment (3); a front wall portion (20) enclosing the compartment; a stacked rack (4) disposed inside the inner compartment (3) for accommodating a plurality of products (12) to be dispensed; the rack having a partition from the front wall portion (20) Open front end portion (4a) to form a space (S) extending vertically between the plurality of racks and the front wall portion; for dispensing products from the interior of the compartment to the compartment An external dispensing mechanism (7); a carrying mechanism (5) for carrying the product from the rack (4) to the product dispensing mechanism (7), the carrying mechanism (5) being interposed between the materials Moving vertically in the space (S) between the frame and the front wall portion (20); characterized in that the carrying mechanism (5) has a material disposed in the upper portion of the space (S) The rest position above the frame (4). The machine of claim 1, wherein the front wall portion (20) includes a transparent portion (20a) such that the rack is visible, and wherein the rest position of the carrying mechanism is configured A non-transparent portion of the front wall portion. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrying mechanism (5) comprises at least one tray (5a) tiltable relative to the front wall portion (20). A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a motor (M), a drive belt (8) operated by the motor (M), wherein the carrying mechanism (5) is Connected to the drive belt (8) so as to be movable by the drive belt (8), and wherein the motor (M), the drive belt (8) and the carrying mechanism are combined on a frame (9), The frame is housed within the inner compartment (3). A machine according to claim 4, wherein the frame (9) is removably The structure (2) is fitted so as to be quickly replaced, and wherein the motor (M), the drive belt (8) and the carrying mechanism are removed together with the frame. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the product dispensing mechanism (7) comprises a lower folding drawer (7a) for receiving the product from the carrying mechanism (5). The machine of any one of clauses 1 to 6, wherein the carrying mechanism (5) is movable to at least a portion of the plurality of racks (4) corresponding to the product (12) a plurality of locations at the location, and releasing the product between a release position in the dispensing mechanism (7), the release position being disposed on at least the underlying shelf of the plurality of shelves (4) Above. The machine of claim 7, wherein the product (12) contained in the underlying rack comprises a beverage bottle and/or a can. A method for dispensing a product from a dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which comprises the step of: at which the carrying mechanism (5) is from a rack (4) Receiving a plurality of locations of at least one product (12) corresponding to at least a portion of the plurality of racks (4), and releasing the product into the dispensing mechanism (7) to dispense a product release location of the product Moving the carrying mechanism (5) between; releasing the product (12) into the dispensing mechanism (7); moving the carrying mechanism (5) to a rest position and holding the carrying mechanism (5) in the rest position Up to the successive dispensing cycle; characterized in that the rest position of the carrying mechanism (5) is disposed above the upper rack of the plurality of racks (4). The method of claim 9, wherein the product release position is disposed above at least the lower shelf of the plurality of racks (4). The method of claim 10, wherein the product in at least the lower rack is directly released into the dispensing mechanism. The method of claim 11, wherein the product contained in the underlying rack comprises a beverage bottle and/or a can.