{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659427","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9659427","title":"Vending machine and associated methods","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2014-07-17T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-05-23T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G07F","G07F","G07F","G07F"],"num_claims":20,"abstract":"A vending machine comprises a robotic arm and a pick mechanism that is coupled to the robotic arm. The pick mechanism is configured to retrieve a vendible product in the vending machine, and the robotic arm is configured to locate the pick mechanism at a location with a x-y coordinate that corresponds to the vendible product. The pick mechanism comprises a first roller, a second roller, and a belt that mechanically links the first and second rollers by forming a loop around the first and second rollers. The belt has a first portion and a second portion on opposing sides of the loop, and the second portion of the belt is coupled to the robotic arm. The pick mechanism further comprises a motor that is configured to rotate the first roller in order to translate the first and second portions of the belt in opposite directions to each other. The pick mechanism further comprises a picker arm extending in the z direction. The picker arm has a proximal portion closest to the first roller and a distal portion furthest from the first roller. The proximal portion is coupled to the first portion of the belt in order to be moved in the z-direction as the first roller is rotated, and the distal portion comprises a product picker for releasably attaching to the vendible product."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Vending machine and associated methods","description":"A vending machine comprises a robotic arm and a pick mechanism that is coupled to the robotic arm. The pick mechanism is configured to retrieve a vendible product in the vending machine, and the robot","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659427","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659427","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Vending machine and associated methods\" (US-9659427). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659427","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659427","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9659427","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T09:23:21.030Z"}