Controlled inventory refrigerated dispensing system
First Claim
1. A vending refrigerator, comprising:
- a control compartment comprising a processor having computer executable code configured to receive and store inventory data from said vending refrigerator;
a first dispensing shelf in data communication with said control compartment;
a first removable product dispenser on said first dispensing shelf comprising a first storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a first product and a first dispensing drawer horizontally extensible from a bottom of said first storage compartment and configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said first product upon each horizontal extension of said first dispensing drawer from said first storage compartment, wherein said first product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said first product containers in said first dispensing drawer upon closure of said first dispensing drawer, and wherein said first product dispenser further comprises a movable guard movable to a position that prevents replacement of the first product back into the product dispenser through the first dispensing drawer when said first dispensing drawer is open, and prevents closure of the first dispensing drawer until removal of said first product from said first dispensing drawer;
a second dispensing shelf in data communication with the control compartment; and
a second removable product dispenser on said second dispensing shelf comprising a second storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a second product and a second dispensing drawer horizontally extensible from a bottom of said second storage compartment and configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said second product upon each horizontal extension of said second dispensing drawer from said second storage compartment, wherein said second product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said second product containers in said second dispensing drawer upon closure of said second dispensing drawer, and wherein said second product dispenser prevents replacement of the second product back into the product dispenser through the dispensing drawer when said second dispensing drawer is open.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vending refrigerator for dispensing pharmaceutical products, such as vials, bottles, syringes, and the like, at a point of distribution, e.g., a doctor'"'"'s office or pharmacy. The vending refrigerator comprises a first product dispenser for one type of packaging and a second product dispenser for a second type of packaging. The product can be removed from a dispenser drawer but cannot be placed back into the dispenser through the drawer. The product dispensers are filled through openings that are not accessible during normal operations, but that are accessible during refilling procedures. The refrigerator may include a shelf where products that are mistakenly pulled from the product dispenser or that contain multiple doses of their contents can be placed for temporary storage. In some embodiments, the refrigerator comprises a chilled compartment and a freezer compartment.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A vending refrigerator, comprising:
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a control compartment comprising a processor having computer executable code configured to receive and store inventory data from said vending refrigerator; a first dispensing shelf in data communication with said control compartment; a first removable product dispenser on said first dispensing shelf comprising a first storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a first product and a first dispensing drawer horizontally extensible from a bottom of said first storage compartment and configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said first product upon each horizontal extension of said first dispensing drawer from said first storage compartment, wherein said first product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said first product containers in said first dispensing drawer upon closure of said first dispensing drawer, and wherein said first product dispenser further comprises a movable guard movable to a position that prevents replacement of the first product back into the product dispenser through the first dispensing drawer when said first dispensing drawer is open, and prevents closure of the first dispensing drawer until removal of said first product from said first dispensing drawer; a second dispensing shelf in data communication with the control compartment; and a second removable product dispenser on said second dispensing shelf comprising a second storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a second product and a second dispensing drawer horizontally extensible from a bottom of said second storage compartment and configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said second product upon each horizontal extension of said second dispensing drawer from said second storage compartment, wherein said second product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said second product containers in said second dispensing drawer upon closure of said second dispensing drawer, and wherein said second product dispenser prevents replacement of the second product back into the product dispenser through the dispensing drawer when said second dispensing drawer is open. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for dispensing products, comprising:
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a vending refrigerator in data communication with a computer network, said vending refrigerator comprising; a control compartment comprising a processor having computer executable code configured to receive and store inventory data from said vending refrigerator; a first dispensing shelf in data communication with said control compartment; a first removable product dispenser on said first dispensing shelf comprising a first storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a first product and a first dispensing drawer horizontally extensible from a bottom of said first storage compartment and configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said first product upon each horizontal extension of said first dispensing drawer from said first storage compartment, wherein said first product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said first product containers in said first dispensing drawer upon closure of said first dispensing drawer, and wherein said first product dispenser further comprises a movable guard movable to a position that prevents replacement of the first product back into the product dispenser through the first dispensing drawer when said dispensing drawer is open, and prevents closure of the first dispensing drawer until removal of said first product from said first dispensing drawer; a second dispensing shelf in data communication with the control compartment; and a second removable product dispenser on said second dispensing shelf comprising a second storage compartment storing a plurality of containers of a second product and a second dispensing drawer configured to sequentially dispense a single one of said containers of said second product, wherein said second product dispenser is configured to sequentially position one of said second product containers in said second dispensing drawer upon closure of said second dispensing drawer, and wherein said second product dispenser prevents replacement of the second product back into the product dispenser through the dispensing drawer; and a control server in data communication with said vending refrigerator through said data network; said processor further comprising computer executable code configured to send said inventory data to said control server. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification