A rotary filling machine includes a rotatable fill plate with fill openings defined therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced drop buckets mounted above the fill plate and configured to rotate with the fill plate, and a rotating mounting plate mounted on top of the fill plate and disposed below the drop buckets. Each drop bucket includes an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall surrounding a volume bounded by top and bottom openings. A coupler for each drop bucket includes a first connector, such as a socket, extending from an outer surface of the inner radial wall and a mating connector, such as a post, extending upwardly from the mounting ring. A plurality of ridges or protrusions are formed on a side surface of at least one of the walls to reduce the planar surface area available for adhesion to materials being dispensed.

A rotary filling machine includes a rotatable fill plate with fill openings defined therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced drop buckets mounted above the fill plate and configured to rotate with the fill plate, and a rotating mounting plate mounted on top of the fill plate and disposed below the drop buckets. Each drop bucket includes an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall surrounding a volume bounded by top and bottom openings. A coupler for each drop bucket includes a first connector, such as a socket, extending from an outer surface of the inner radial wall and a mating connector, such as a post, extending upwardly from the mounting ring. A plurality of ridges or protrusions are formed on a side surface of at least one of the walls to reduce the planar surface area available for adhesion to materials being dispensed.

A system and related methods of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, and long-term care facility pharmacy management computer programs associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to enhance use of the one or more of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines. The long-term care facility management computer programs include a patient prescription receiver and a medication dispensing apparatus administrator and are configured and operable to transmit dispensing instructions to the one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines when no drug conflicts exist to thereby initiate packaging and dispensing of one or more disposable patient dosing packages.

A system and related methods of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, and long-term care facility pharmacy management computer programs associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to enhance use of the one or more of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines. The long-term care facility management computer programs include a patient prescription receiver and a medication dispensing apparatus administrator and are configured and operable to transmit dispensing instructions to the one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines when no drug conflicts exist to thereby initiate packaging and dispensing of one or more disposable patient dosing packages.

An automatic packager including a cartridge and a cartridge mechanism is provided. The cartridge for the automatic packager includes a reservoir for storing a plurality of medications and a wheel including a bottom portion placed in the reservoir. The cartridge also includes a scooping member provided on the wheel to rotate with the wheel and singulate a medication from the reservoir. The cartridge mechanism for the automatic packager includes a platform configured to receive a medication from a cartridge and a camera system. The cartridge mechanism also includes an electronic processor coupled to the camera system configured to dispense the medication from the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is delivered to the platform and return the medication to the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is not delivered to the platform.

An automatic packager including a cartridge and a cartridge mechanism is provided. The cartridge for the automatic packager includes a reservoir for storing a plurality of medications and a wheel including a bottom portion placed in the reservoir. The cartridge also includes a scooping member provided on the wheel to rotate with the wheel and singulate a medication from the reservoir. The cartridge mechanism for the automatic packager includes a platform configured to receive a medication from a cartridge and a camera system. The cartridge mechanism also includes an electronic processor coupled to the camera system configured to dispense the medication from the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is delivered to the platform and return the medication to the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is not delivered to the platform.

A sandbag filling system includes a support frame, a driving unit, a conveyor unit, and a hopper chute. The support frame includes a feed gate and an adjustable mount and is configured to receive a material and guide the material to a conveyor belt. The driving unit is arranged in the support frame and includes a motor connected to a drive shaft. The conveyor unit is arranged in the support frame as well and includes a conveyor belt configured to be moved by the driving unit. The hopper chute is arranged below the feed gate of the support frame and located proximal to the conveyor belt.

A sandbag filling system includes a support frame, a driving unit, a conveyor unit, and a hopper chute. The support frame includes a feed gate and an adjustable mount and is configured to receive a material and guide the material to a conveyor belt. The driving unit is arranged in the support frame and includes a motor connected to a drive shaft. The conveyor unit is arranged in the support frame as well and includes a conveyor belt configured to be moved by the driving unit. The hopper chute is arranged below the feed gate of the support frame and located proximal to the conveyor belt.

Provided is a medicine dispensing device having a container stocking portion) for stocking a plurality of medicine containers, a medicine supplying part for supplying solid medicines, container taking means for taking the container from the container stocking portion, a medicine filling part for filling the medicine container with the solid medicines supplied from the medicine supplying part and container checking means. The medicine checking means has posture keeping means for keeping a constant posture of the medicine container and a measuring member which can approach to and move away from the medicine container. The container checking means can check a type of the medicine container by holding the medicine container with keeping the constant posture by using the posture keeping means and allowing the measuring member to approach to the medicine container from a remote position and make contact with the medicine container.

Provided is a medicine dispensing device having a container stocking portion) for stocking a plurality of medicine containers, a medicine supplying part for supplying solid medicines, container taking means for taking the container from the container stocking portion, a medicine filling part for filling the medicine container with the solid medicines supplied from the medicine supplying part and container checking means. The medicine checking means has posture keeping means for keeping a constant posture of the medicine container and a measuring member which can approach to and move away from the medicine container. The container checking means can check a type of the medicine container by holding the medicine container with keeping the constant posture by using the posture keeping means and allowing the measuring member to approach to the medicine container from a remote position and make contact with the medicine container.