An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

Automatic packaging machine (3) for filling a bag (1) made of heat-sealable material, having an open upper end (2) with a dose of loose product; the packaging machine (3) has: a packaging conveyor (4); a pick-up head (7), which is supported by the packaging conveyor (4) to advance along a packaging path (P1); an input station (S1) where the empty bag (1) is grabbed by the pick-up head (7); an output station (S2) where the full, sealed bag (1) leaves the pick-up head (7); a filling device (18) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to supply the dose of product inside the bag (1) through the upper open end (2); and a sealing device (19) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to seal the full bag (1) through a heat-seal in correspondence with the open upper end (2).

To provide a drug discharge device capable of reducing complexity when distributing a drug into a manual distribution device. A drug discharge device includes a manual distribution member 15 that includes a plurality of recessed portions 20 in which a solid drug is distributed, discharge means that discharges the drug distributed in the recessed portions 20 to a downstream side directly or via another member, and a control device that controls the discharge means, in which the discharge means is capable of individually discharging a drug corresponding to a predetermined recessed portion 20, the control device assigns the same drug to the recessed portions 20 in adjacent regions based on prescription information including information on a drug to be provided to a plurality of patients or one patient, and the discharge means discharges the drugs in a predetermined order.

To provide a drug discharge device capable of reducing complexity when distributing a drug into a manual distribution device. A drug discharge device includes a manual distribution member 15 that includes a plurality of recessed portions 20 in which a solid drug is distributed, discharge means that discharges the drug distributed in the recessed portions 20 to a downstream side directly or via another member, and a control device that controls the discharge means, in which the discharge means is capable of individually discharging a drug corresponding to a predetermined recessed portion 20, the control device assigns the same drug to the recessed portions 20 in adjacent regions based on prescription information including information on a drug to be provided to a plurality of patients or one patient, and the discharge means discharges the drugs in a predetermined order.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a case-handling device including movable folding guides positionable relative to a case to facilitate folding the case's upper major flaps outwardly along their respective fold lines before the case's upper minor flaps are closed.

A heat sealing packaging machine and method for assembling that includes a package platform for supporting a package, a film carriage carrying a supply of film material, a sealing platform adjacent the package platform and including a conveyor for laterally moving the package to be sealed to a shrink tunnel. The carriage is laterally movable to adjust the position of the film material and a lifting mechanism raises and lowers the sealing platform and the shrink tunnel. The shrink tunnel is laterally movable with respect to the sealing platform and includes a latch mechanism for locking a lateral position of the shrink tunnel.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

Example methods and systems are disclosed for on-demand packaging of one or more items. According to one example, a method can include receiving an order for the item(s) and determining characteristic-information for the item(s) using a computer system. The characteristic-information includes an indication of at least a size and a shape of the item(s). The method also includes processing the characteristic-information based on design criteria to determine an arrangement of the item(s) within at least one container volume, and a configuration for a protective structure to hold the item(s) in the arrangement within the container volume(s). The method can further include, in response to the processing the characteristic-information, forming the protective structure according to the configuration, placing the item(s) into the protective structure according to the arrangement, and placing the protective structure and the item(s) in the container volume(s).

Example methods and systems are disclosed for on-demand packaging of one or more items. According to one example, a method can include receiving an order for the item(s) and determining characteristic-information for the item(s) using a computer system. The characteristic-information includes an indication of at least a size and a shape of the item(s). The method also includes processing the characteristic-information based on design criteria to determine an arrangement of the item(s) within at least one container volume, and a configuration for a protective structure to hold the item(s) in the arrangement within the container volume(s). The method can further include, in response to the processing the characteristic-information, forming the protective structure according to the configuration, placing the item(s) into the protective structure according to the arrangement, and placing the protective structure and the item(s) in the container volume(s).

An information processing apparatus for determining an area of a packaged object in a packaging material to suctioned by a suction device for picking up the packaged object includes an input unit configured to input an image obtained by capturing the packaged object, and a determining unit configured to, based on a state of a surface of the packaging material regarding a degree of ease of suction in each area of the surface of the packaging material identified based on the image, determine the area to be suctioned by the suction device.