Method and apparatus for storing articles for use with an article handling device

Abstract

An article storage container, comprising a bin for storing in an a columnar manner, articles to be dispensed from a dispensing end of the bin. A plurality of article supporting intrusions positioned in a spaced manner along at least a portion of the length of the bin function to provide load bearing support for articles stored in the bin. Sectional bins, bin sleeves and macro bins are also disclosed for facilitating rapid, accurate and efficient loading of articles into an article dispenser.

1 . A method for stocking a vending machine with columnar-shaped bins having positioned therein articles to be vended, comprising: 
 providing a longitudinal segment of a bin, said segment having a plurality of articles stored in a stacked manner therein;    assembling multiple ones of said bin segments together so as to form one or more continuous stacks of articles to be dispensed; and    placing said assembled multiple bin segments in a storage area of said vending machine.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said assembling step comprises engaging end portions of said segments together, which end portions are adapted to engage the end portions of adjacently positioned bin segments in an interlocking manner.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said bin segments include at least one pair of opposed article supporting intrusions which project into the interior of said bin segments, said article supporting intrusions functioning to support at least a portion of the weight of at least one article intended to be stored therein.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , including a further step of providing one or more sleeves for holding a prepackaged plurality of articles to be vended, and an even further step of inserting multiple ones of said segments into said sleeves, for forming one or more of said continuous stacks of articles to be dispensed.  
   
   
       5 . An automated article retrieving apparatus including an article storage area adapted to have selectively positioned therein a removable article storage structure which stores a plurality of the articles to be retrieved, the removable article storage structure comprising; 
 a support ( 219  and  1200  or  1300 ) adapted for being selectively positioned into and out of an article storage area of the article retrieving apparatus, wherein:    at least a portion of the support ( 219 ) includes wall portions for facilitating the formation of a plurality of adjacently aligned article storage columns,    the columns store therein a plurality of pre-packaged groups of the articles to be retrieved ( 1202  or  1302 ), and    the columns providing guidance for movement of the articles stored therein in a direction toward an article grasping portion of the article retrieving apparatus.    
   
   
       6 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein one end of the column ( 1300 ) is adapted for use by the article grasping apparatus for retrieving articles stored therein, and an opposite end of the column is adapted for use for refilling the column with articles to be stored.  
   
   
       7 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said support ( 219 ) comprises: 
 a base having a cross-section adapted for being positioned adjacent a portion of the article storage area which is opposed to the article grasping apparatus, said base providing support for said wall portions so that they extend away from the base and toward the article grasping apparatus.    
   
   
       8 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said wall portions include outer perimeter walls of the support ( 219 ).  
   
   
       9 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the columns are formed by a plurality of columnar-shaped article-holding bin segments ( 1202 ).  
   
   
       10 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein each column is formed by columnar-shaped article-holding bin sleeves ( 1300 ).  
   
   
       11 . The automated article retrieving apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each column is formed by columnar-shaped article-holding bin sleeves ( 1300 ), each bin sleeve adapted to house a plurality of bin segments ( 1306 ).  
   
   
       12 . A method of stocking an article retrieving apparatus with articles to be retrieved, comprising the following steps: 
 providing a support ( 219 ) which holds a plurality of pre-packaged groups of articles to be retrieved (bins segments  1202  or sleeves  1302 ) so that the articles are arranged in a plurality of adjacently positioned, paraxially aligned, article storage columns, which columns provide guidance for movement of the articles stored therein in a direction toward an article grasping portion of the article retrieving apparatus, and    positioning the support ( 219 ,  1202  or  1300 / 1302 ) into and out of the article storage area of the article handling apparatus.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 positioning the support ( 219 ,  1202  or  1300 / 1302 ) out of the article storage area of the article handling apparatus and onto a supporting surface;    using openings at one end of the columns for introducing therein columnar-shaped bin segments which are pre-packaged with groups of articles to be retrieved, and using openings at an other end of the columns which is opposite the one end, for removing columnar-shaped bin segments which are empty.