The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for placing mixing balls (1) into pharmaceutical containers (2), comprising a transport device (30) for conveying, preferably intermittently, the containers (2), and comprising a feed device (45) for the mixing balls (1), wherein the feed device (45) can be moved between a position for removing mixing balls (1) from a storage means (46) and a position for transferring the mixing balls (1) into the containers (2).

An ammunition packaging apparatus and system is reconfigurable to package a select caliber of ammunition by changing a set of components to those associated with the selected caliber of ammunition and selecting the corresponding operating procedure. An ammunition collating and packaging apparatus can be quickly reconfigured from packaging a first caliber of ammunition to packaging a second caliber of ammunition by quickly replacing a define set of components and modifying operationally timings to correspond to the selected caliber.

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.

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.

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.

A filling system includes a conveyor for moving containers to be filled along a conveyance path and a drop chute with an outlet above the conveyance path. A drive for the drop chute includes a primary drive frame movable along a first axis and a secondary drive frame mounted on the primary drive frame for movement therewith, the secondary drive frame movable relative to the primary drive frame along a second axis, wherein the second axis is transverse to the first axis. A filling machine with a rotating disc assembly is also provided.

A filling machine for filling containers with items includes an item conveyor, and a bulk feeder for feeding items onto the item conveyor. The bulk feeder includes a hopper and a feed assembly, where the feed assembly includes an item collecting compartment for collecting items from the hopper. A pusher is movable through the collecting compartment to push items in the collecting compartment onto the item conveyor.

A tablet cassette that inhibits rotation of a rotor when the tablet cassette is not mounted. A plurality of engaged portions are provided, about the axial line of a rotary shaft at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on an annular inner surface region of a bottom wall portion located a predetermined distance away from the rotary shaft. A sliding shaft is disposed in the rotary shaft, slidable in the axial direction, such that the sliding shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is displaced toward a rotor body when the rotary shaft is coupled to a drive shaft and the rotary shaft is displaced toward a bottom wall portion when the rotary shaft is not coupled to the drive shaft. Two or more engaging portions are provided on arm portions provided on the sliding shaft and engage with some of a plurality of engaged portions.

A tablet cassette that inhibits rotation of a rotor when the tablet cassette is not mounted. A plurality of engaged portions are provided, about the axial line of a rotary shaft at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on an annular inner surface region of a bottom wall portion located a predetermined distance away from the rotary shaft. A sliding shaft is disposed in the rotary shaft, slidable in the axial direction, such that the sliding shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is displaced toward a rotor body when the rotary shaft is coupled to a drive shaft and the rotary shaft is displaced toward a bottom wall portion when the rotary shaft is not coupled to the drive shaft. Two or more engaging portions are provided on arm portions provided on the sliding shaft and engage with some of a plurality of engaged portions.

A tablet cassette that inhibits rotation of a rotor when the tablet cassette is not mounted. A plurality of engaged portions are provided, about the axial line of a rotary shaft at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on an annular inner surface region of a bottom wall portion located a predetermined distance away from the rotary shaft. A sliding shaft is disposed in the rotary shaft, slidable in the axial direction, such that the sliding shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is displaced toward a rotor body when the rotary shaft is coupled to a drive shaft and the rotary shaft is displaced toward a bottom wall portion when the rotary shaft is not coupled to the drive shaft. Two or more engaging portions are provided on arm portions provided on the sliding shaft and engage with some of a plurality of engaged portions.