According to one embodiment, a strapping apparatus includes a setting device, a determination device, a strap band supply device, an acquisition device, a color decision device, and a warning presentation device. The setting device sets a denomination of paper sheets to be strapped. The determination device determines a color of a strap band to strap a bundle of the paper sheets, based on the denomination. The strap band supply device supplies strap bands from a first strap band reel previously stored. The acquisition device acquires an image of the first strap band reel. The color decision device decides a color of the first strap band reel, based on the image. The warning presentation device presents a warning if the color of the first strap band reel is different from the color determined by the determination device.

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 valve mechanism that is movable relative to the track to push the pharmaceuticals into the pouch.

Provided is a medicine filling apparatus used for filling a medicine container with solid medicines, including: a medicine housing unit configured to house the medicines and having a plurality of medicine outlets configured to eject the housed medicines; a rotor located within the medicine housing unit, having a plurality of temporary medicine housing units configured to temporarily house the medicines, and configured to move the medicines housed in the plurality of temporary medicine housing units to the plurality of medicine outlets by rotating; and a drive unit configured to rotationally drive the rotor, wherein when at least one of the temporary medicine housing units coincides with at least one of the medicine outlets so that the medicines can be ejected, the temporary medicine housing units and the medicine outlets that are not in coincidence with each other are shifted by an angle such that the medicines cannot be ejected.

Provided is a medicine filling apparatus used for filling a medicine container with solid medicines, including: a medicine housing unit configured to house the medicines and having a plurality of medicine outlets configured to eject the housed medicines; a rotor located within the medicine housing unit, having a plurality of temporary medicine housing units configured to temporarily house the medicines, and configured to move the medicines housed in the plurality of temporary medicine housing units to the plurality of medicine outlets by rotating; and a drive unit configured to rotationally drive the rotor, wherein when at least one of the temporary medicine housing units coincides with at least one of the medicine outlets so that the medicines can be ejected, the temporary medicine housing units and the medicine outlets that are not in coincidence with each other are shifted by an angle such that the medicines cannot be ejected.

A drug dispensing unit for a blister pack, includes: a drug inspection device configured to receive drugs falling down, to inspect whether the received drugs are normal drugs corresponding to the drugs prepared in a unit dose or defective drugs other than the normal drugs, and to drop the drugs after completion of the inspection. The drug inspection device includes a rotating body configured to rotate about an axis parallel to a direction of gravity and including an upper panel and a lower panel spaced apart from each other in parallel and a drug carrier interposed between the upper panel and the lower panel.

A funnel device for a counting system comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion, a tapered funnel portion, at least one inlet port and at least two outlet ports in the cylindrical body portion, and a plurality of vents in the funnel portion. The inlet port of the cylindrical body portion is adapted to receive a pressurized air supply, each outlet port operative to inject a respective high velocity air flow into a first passageway of the cylindrical body portion and to direct the respective air flow downwardly into a second passageway of the funnel portion. The directed air flows create a Venturi effect in the funnel device whereby a speed of flow of the products is increased and a rate of collision of the products is decreased as the products pass through the funnel device.

A funnel device for a counting system comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion, a tapered funnel portion, at least one inlet port and at least two outlet ports in the cylindrical body portion, and a plurality of vents in the funnel portion. The inlet port of the cylindrical body portion is adapted to receive a pressurized air supply, each outlet port operative to inject a respective high velocity air flow into a first passageway of the cylindrical body portion and to direct the respective air flow downwardly into a second passageway of the funnel portion. The directed air flows create a Venturi effect in the funnel device whereby a speed of flow of the products is increased and a rate of collision of the products is decreased as the products pass through the funnel device.

An apparatus for packing a plurality of filled produce trays into a transport container, such as a box or a carton, without bruising the produce in the process. The produce packing system includes an infeed belt, produce information sensors and a processing assembly. The processing assembly receives information from the produce information sensors to calculate a container packing position. Using this information, the produce packing system clamps onto a filled produce tray from an infeed belt and moves the filled produce tray downward into a transport container at a predetermined height to place the filled produce tray into the transport container.

An apparatus for packing a plurality of filled produce trays into a transport container, such as a box or a carton, without bruising the produce in the process. The produce packing system includes an infeed belt, produce information sensors and a processing assembly. The processing assembly receives information from the produce information sensors to calculate a container packing position. Using this information, the produce packing system clamps onto a filled produce tray from an infeed belt and moves the filled produce tray downward into a transport container at a predetermined height to place the filled produce tray into the transport container.

The object counter is provided which includes a conveyor belt having regularly spaced object retaining posts for retaining single objects on the belt in a lane for transport in single file manner from a lower feed end to an upper discharge end. Each lane has lateral guide members for helping objects to settle in the lane between retaining posts during transport on the conveyor belt between the lower feed end and the upper discharge end. A hopper is arranged at the lower feed end of the conveyor belt for providing a quantity of objects to the conveyor belt. A deflector is arranged over the lane before the upper discharge end for removing objects from the lane that settle on top of objects settled in the lane between said retaining posts. An item detector is arranged at the upper discharge end for detecting the passage or discharge of individual objects.