The present invention discloses a medicine dispensing device for distributing medicine pills automatically, comprising a medicine supply system, a sorting system and a control system. The medicine supply system comprises a plurality of medicine supply units. The sorting system comprises a negative pressure medicine receiving mechanism, a camera subsystem, and two temporary storage cabins for medicine dispensing and discarding. The negative pressure medicine receiving mechanism has a negative pressure sucking head for sucking medicine pills. The negative pressure sucking head sucks a single medicine pill from a corresponding medicine supply unit. The camera subsystem captures images of medicine pills and sends the images to the control system. The camera subsystem recognizes the image of sucked medicine pill to identify the type, quantity and integrity of the medicine pill. This device fills the gap of no household automatic oral medicine dispensing device.

An automated store for storing and then distributing articles, including a housing for receiving closed shipping containers for storage, and for distributing articles retrieved from inside the shipping containers to an output of the housing. The housing further including entry means for controlling entry into the housing of closed shipping containers. Automated forming means form an opening in each of the plurality of the shipping containers, storing means for storing the opened shipping containers, computer controlled retrieving means for entering into selected ones of the opened shipping containers via the formed opening to retrieve an article and moving means for moving the retrieved articles to an output are further included in the housing.

A method and system are provided for determining an orientation of a unit dose package, such as by determining whether the cavity that houses the medication is facing upwards or downwards. As a result of the determination of the orientation of the unit dose package, a method and system may also be provided for selectively picking a unit dose package, thereby enabling automated restocking of singulated unit dose packages by taking into account the orientation of the unit dose packages.

Provided is a liquid medication dispensing machine that can remove a liquid medication from one end of a supply pipe with higher reliability. The liquid medication dispensing machine includes a plurality of supply nozzles located at equal intervals through which liquid medications flow from a plurality of liquid medication bottles containing the liquid medications, respectively, to a prescription bottle. The plurality of supply nozzles are moved sequentially to a supply position where a supply nozzle faces an upper opening of the prescription bottle. The liquid medication dispensing machine further includes a cleaning unit that removes the liquid medication adhering to the supply nozzle. The supply nozzles are moved sequentially to a cleaning position where the cleaning unit removes the liquid medication from the supply nozzle. The cleaning position is provided at a position away from the supply position by a distance smaller than a spacing between the supply nozzles.

A system enables management of dispensable units by supporting functions such as retrieval, scheduled distribution, analysis, and notifications. To this end, a dispensable retrieval mechanism may be programmed to carry out blind retrievals of dispensable units using a retrieval strategy with a predetermined sequence of retrieval attempts (e.g., fixed or varying two-dimensional retrieval patterns), which may be open loop or closed loop. Techniques may also include the identification of dispensable units through optical sensors and weight measurement devices that can detect, e.g., a texture, a shape, and a size of dispensable units. Such identification can be used to program retrieval attempts by a retrieval robot and in the formulation of the retrieval pattern. Additionally, networked notification systems for dispensable units can be used for updating rules or schedules related to the dispensable units, or alerting users and remote resources of any potential misuse or hazards of the dispensable units.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing and fully automatic output of a multiplicity of different products having substantially cuboid geometry, such as packaged CDs, DVDs, printer cartridges, books, etc., comprising at least one permanently installed storage rack for stocking the multiplicity of products, at least one selection station for selecting, from the multiplicity of stocked products, one product to be output by the apparatus at a product output point, at least one handling device that is movable relative to the at least one storage rack for retrieval of a selected product from the at least one storage rack and for transport of the product in question to a product output point of the apparatus, and at least one computer-assisted control unit for controlling the apparatus and its components.

A packaging unit for packaging pharmaceuticals into a pouch includes packaging equipment operable to form the pouch, a track configured to direct the pharmaceuticals toward the packaging equipment, and a receptacle coupled to the track upstream of the packaging equipment to receive the pharmaceuticals from the track. The receptacle includes a plunger. The pouch is formed around the plunger.

In one embodiment, a system includes: a robotic arm assembly; a plurality of components arranged around the robotic arm assembly and positioned within reach of the robotic arm assembly; and a controller configured to control operation of the robotic arm assembly within the system. Each of the plurality of components is configured to either: store ingredients under predetermined environmental conditions; store food preparation tools; dispense ingredients; blend, cook, or assemble ingredients into a completed food item; provide cleaning functionality to the system and/or components thereof; provide user access to completed food items; or display information relevant to a food item or preparation thereof to users. Methods of using such systems to prepare and dispense food items are also disclosed, and generally include translating recipes into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and/or components of the system, communicating such instructions to the robotic arm assembly, and executing such instructions.

A medicine vending machine with classification function, including an electric cabinet and at least one medicine storage cabinet connected to the electric cabinet. A door of the electric cabinet is provided with a display screen, an operation area and a medicine delivery port. A medicine delivery box is provided at an interior of the electric cabinet near the medicine delivery port. A plurality of medicine cargo lanes and a medicine delivery device are provided inside the medicine storage cabinet, and a side wall of the medicine storage cabinet is provided with an isolation door. The medicine delivery device is configured to transfer the medicines stored in the medicine cargo lane to the medicine delivery box through the isolation door.

An apparatus for retaining and dispensing feminine products, the apparatus including a rack configured to hold a feminine product; a pushbutton that, when activated, is configured to move a push rod in a first direction, the push rod having teeth configured to engage a pinion gear as the push rod is moved along the first direction; a push member associated with the pinion gear, the push member being configured to engage the feminine product and thereby cause the product to dispense onto a release tray as the push rod is moved along the first direction; and a plunger associated with the pinion gear, the plunger being configured to contact a timing plate in response to the pinion gear rotating. The plunger is adapted to temporarily affix to the timing plate by a suction force for a period of time sufficient for the pushbutton to reset before a second feminine product can be dispensed.