An apparatus and method for rotating and transferring a discrete article. The rotation apparatus may include a slot portion defining a longitudinal slot axis. A head assembly may be positioned adjacent to the slot portion. The head assembly may include a transfer member. The transfer member may define a longitudinal transfer axis. A support member extending from the transfer member toward the slot portion may rotate about the longitudinal transfer axis. A first follower and a second follower may be operatively engaged with the support member. The first follower may include a first follower outer surface defining a first longitudinal follower axis and the second follower may include a second follower outer surface defining a second longitudinal follower axis. The first follower and the second follower may be positioned such that the first longitudinal follower axis and the second longitudinal follower axis intersect the longitudinal slot axis.

An automated storage system for storing large quantities of samples in trays includes a storage compartment, a tray shuttle compartment abutting the storage compartment on one side and a plurality of independent modules on the other side. The modules perform processing of samples that are retrieved from the storage compartment by a tray shuttle, including extraction of selected samples from retrieved source trays and transfer of the selected samples into a separate, destination tray that can be further processed or removed from the system for use. The independent operation of the modules permits handling and processing to be performed simultaneously by different modules while the tray shuttle accesses additional samples within the storage compartment. In one embodiment, a vertical carousel is used to vertically align a desired tray with the tray shuttle, while the tray shuttle operates within a horizontal plane.

A device for accumulating articles within a system may include a frame, a mass-flow infeed conveyor supported by the frame for receiving articles from the system, and a mass-flow outfeed conveyor supported by the frame for receiving articles from the infeed conveyor and returning the articles to the system. A single-filing device is supported by the frame and includes a plurality of parallel endless loop conveyors. The endless loop conveyors each have an upstream end located laterally from and between upstream and downstream ends of the infeed conveyor.

Systems, methods, devices, and an apparatus for capping blood sample tubes after they are processed in an automated blood sample analysis processing system are provided. One aspect describes an automated blood sample tube capping assembly configured to automatically cap a plurality of sample tubes after they are processed in an automated blood sample analysis processing system.

The present invention relates to a vehicle, which is used in particular for transporting objects, in particular workpieces. Here, preferably one or more sensor devices are provided, by means of which in particular a region surrounding the vehicle is detectable.

The present invention relates to a vehicle, which is used in particular for transporting objects, in particular workpieces. Here, preferably one or more sensor devices are provided, by means of which in particular a region surrounding the vehicle is detectable.

A conveyor system is for intended use in conjunction with the conveyance of articles, such as for being sorted for downstream processing. The system comprises a conveyor, which may be an endless conveyor including a forward run and a return run. The conveyor may have a tilted conveying surface for supporting the articles being conveyed. A low friction guide extends along the conveyor for engaging the articles being conveyed by the conveyor, which may include rollers for providing rolling contact for the articles during conveyance. Related methods are also disclosed.

A bottle handling apparatus handles bottles (50) of a nominal neck (70) radius. The apparatus has a carrier (140) and a plurality of bottle guides (100; 180; 200) mounted to the carrier and each comprising a bottle-engaging recess (110). The bottle-engaging recess accommodates necks of different eccentricities.

An apparatus for producing container packs from containers in a container stream or a plurality of transport lines includes guide elements, entraining elements, applicator elements, and a compartmentalizing and/or compressing unit configured for compartmentalizing and compressing a predetermined number of containers that are combined to form a container pack. The applicator elements apply an adhesive agent by spraying or sprinkling such that a bottle in the pack has adhesive a contact-or-touching surface thereof. The linear transporter transports containers that are to form a subsequent pack from an inlet to an outlet.

An apparatus for producing bundles of containers received from a wide container stream that is converted into plural single-track container streams. The apparatus has a dividing-off and/or compactor unit that divides off and compacts a predetermined number of containers to form a partial bundle to be combined with other partial bundles to form a full bundle. The apparatus also includes application elements that apply adhesive to a container, a linear transporter having a controllable drive, a guide element, a transport element that moves linearly along the guide element, and as many head guides as there are containers in a bundle. The head guides move and/or rotate relative to the transport element.