A packaging apparatus and method for depositing pills into a series of containers is provided. A cylindrical rotary slat is rotatable about a first axis and comprises radially inward and outward portions, the radially outward portion defining pill apertures for receiving pills therein at a first angular position. A negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures to retain the pills therein. Two ejection devices are in communication with the pill apertures at a second angular position and a third angular position of the rotary slat to eject the respective pills outwardly from the pill apertures. A plurality of collection mechanisms is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion about the second and third angular positions, and is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures and to direct the pills toward the respective series of containers for deposition therein.

A packaging apparatus and method for depositing pills into a series of containers is provided. A cylindrical rotary slat is rotatable about a first axis and comprises radially inward and outward portions, the radially outward portion defining pill apertures for receiving pills therein at a first angular position. A negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures to retain the pills therein. Two ejection devices are in communication with the pill apertures at a second angular position and a third angular position of the rotary slat to eject the respective pills outwardly from the pill apertures. A plurality of collection mechanisms is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion about the second and third angular positions, and is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures and to direct the pills toward the respective series of containers for deposition therein.

A method for producing reusable packaging from a carton. A rectangular blank has sides X and Y, a total area xy, 2(a+h)≤x≤3(a+h)+a, and y−2(h+r)≤b≤y, where a and b are side dimensions, h is height, and r is width, or width reduced by height h, of the periphery region R of the finished packaging. The method includes: producing folding lines B in the blank parallel to a first side Y at these distances from the latter: B.sub.1: a.sub.1=h; B.sub.2: a.sub.2=h+a; B.sub.3: a.sub.3=2h+a; severing of two severing lines T, each starting from opposite sides X, along one of the folding lines B, or the extension thereof; selecting the distance between two end points E.sub.T of the severing lines T which are closer to an axis of symmetry S.sub.1, which is parallel to the side X, such that the distance corresponds to a side B″ of the finished packaging or length of a side M of a packaging insert.

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 vibratory conveyor includes a feed tray, an electromagnetic linear actuator and a movable drive train interconnecting the feed tray and the electromagnetic linear actuator such that the electromagnetic linear actuator will move the feed tray during energization of the electromagnetic linear actuator. A sensor assembly is positioned to detect movement of the electromagnetic linear actuator. A controller connected to receive an output of the sensor assembly and connected to control energization of electromagnetic linear actuator, wherein the controller is configured to adjust energization of the electromagnetic linear actuator based upon the output of the sensor assembly. A vibratory conveyor in which the movable drive train includes at least one parallel spring element therealong is also disclosed.

A drug packaging device includes a drug accommodating/dispensing unit that supplies various types of drugs, a drug packaging portion in which a drug supplied from the drug accommodating/dispensing unit is packaged in a packaging sheet, a drug packaging introducing member that drops the drug to be packaged into the packaging sheet in the drug packaging portion), a pooling portion that pools, upstream of this drug packaging introducing member, the drug, and a drug imaging device that captures an image of the drug in the pooling portion. The drug imaging device performs an imaging process of capturing an image of the drug in the pooling portion in a non-backlit state, and an imaging process of capturing an image of the drug in the pooling portion in a backlit state.

A tablet inspection and rejection verification module designed to integrate into a manufacturing line for tablets. The module being magnetically separable into a rejection portion, verification portion, and rejection collection portion of the module for easy replacement or cleaning. The module having a design to work in multi-channel tablet filling equipment. The module operates based on a predetermined good-bad inspection that communicates to the module that a tablet(s) needs to be removed from the filling process, and wherein the module upon rejection also has a method of verification of defective tablets moving in the good-tablet channel resulting in bottle rejection.

A tablet inspection and rejection verification module designed to integrate into a manufacturing line for tablets. The module being magnetically separable into a rejection portion, verification portion, and rejection collection portion of the module for easy replacement or cleaning. The module having a design to work in multi-channel tablet filling equipment. The module operates based on a predetermined good-bad inspection that communicates to the module that a tablet(s) needs to be removed from the filling process, and wherein the module upon rejection also has a method of verification of defective tablets moving in the good-tablet channel resulting in bottle rejection.

A storage and dosing station for storage and dispensing dosed quantities of solid drug portions includes a controller, an information reading device coupled to the controller, a dispensing mechanism, a detachable storage container configured to store solid drug portions, an outlet configured to output the solid drug portions and an information memory. The information memory may store data that comprises one of a glossiness level of a surface of the solid drug portions and a reflectivity level of the surface of the solid drug portions that is used by the controller to control dispensing of the solid drug portions; that is used by the controller to adjust a sensor; and that comprises parameters of movement of the dispensing mechanism of one or more of maximum torque, rotation angles, and rotation positions of the movement of the dispensing mechanism used by the controller to control dispensing of the solid drug portions.