Systems and processes for packing complementary articles of footwear into a container are disclosed. The processes can include utilizing a reusable packing sheet positioned underneath complementary articles of footwear to transfer the complementary articles of footwear into a container. The processes can also include removing the reusable packing sheet from underneath the complementary articles of footwear while the complementary articles of footwear remain positioned in the container. Additional processes can include aligning and sizing complementary articles of footwear for packing in a container.

A system for grabbing and filling pills into a blister pack is provided and associated corresponding method. The system includes a vacuum pill-manipulator provided with prongs having holes at their tip to retain pills. The vacuum pill-manipulator is configured to transition from a pill-retaining configuration where suction is applied at the tip of each prong to hold the pills during movement, to a pill-releasing configuration where suction is released to drop the pills in corresponding pill-chambers. A robotized arm is provided with the vacuum pill-manipulator, and is controllable to: move the vacuum pill-manipulator from a pill-container rack, for grabbing a pill-container, to a pill-container retaining station, to suction pills at the tips of the prongs; and move, in the pill-retaining configuration, the vacuum pill-manipulator to the blister pack location, and position the vacuum pill-manipulator to align the tip of each prong with the corresponding pill-chamber for the pill-releasing configuration.

A pharmaceutical order processing system, components thereof, and associated methods for filling a prescription order. The pharmaceutical order processing system includes a lower insert placer, a syringe placer, a dosing cup placer, a pharmaceutical container placer, and/or an upper insert placer. The lower insert placer places a lower insert into a box. The syringe placer places a syringe into a syringe compartment of the lower insert. The dosing cup placer places a dosing cup into a dosing cup compartment of the lower insert. The pharmaceutical container placer places a pharmaceutical container into a pharmaceutical container compartment of the lower insert. The upper insert placer places an upper insert into the box after the box has received the lower insert and the lower insert has received the syringe, the dosing cup and the pharmaceutical container.

A continuously operating device and process for packaging articles are presented, where the overall dimensions are contained despite use of a high number of robotic systems. The articles are fed on a first conveyor line. A second conveyor line is provided for flow of open box-shaped packagings to be filled with the articles arranged in layers. Transfer devices pick the articles and insert them in a respective target box-shaped packaging. Each transfer device includes a handling member and a gripping device, both movable along three orthogonal axes. A control unit for controlling the transfer devices includes a collection of laws of motion and/or relevant trajectories defining the motion of the transfer devices. A set of laws of motion and/or relevant trajectories is selected from the collection according to a predetermined number and size of the layers.

A system is provided for placing food items into containers such that the containers fulfil at least one criterion. The system has handling devices arranged along a conveyor belt of a conveyor system and a control unit connected to a position tracker for controlling the handling devices using position data from the position tracker.

The invention relates to a method and a device for placing fruit or vegetables on a tray (11) comprising an upper face (13) having a plurality of recessed cells adapted to be able to receive a single object in each one, two objects placed in two adjacent cells juxtaposed in the same plane being able to come laterally into contact with each other. During any step of placing at least one object in at least one receiving cell (14) adjacent to at least one full cell already containing another object, the upper face (13) of the tray has an upwards envelope curvature adapted to avoid any contact between the objects.

An end-of-arm tool and an associated robotic arm are configured to place items (e.g., soft-sided merchandise) into a case. In an example, an end-of-arm tool is configured to grasp a surface (e.g., the top surface) of an item of merchandise and deposit the item into the case. Accordingly, as an item is deposited, the tool uses contact with that item to move previously placed items back into their preferred locations. After the penultimate item in a row of items is put in place, it may move out of position. As a final item is added to a row, the tool pivots the final item so that a side surface of the final item pushes the penultimate item into its correct position. The tool then pivots the final item to orient the top surface of the item horizontally, and places it in a predetermined position.

An improved robot for packing produce such as fruit or other produce is provided. The robot includes a plurality of longitudinal carriage arms arranged in an array, and cantilevered off a support unit such that each longitudinal carriage arm is independently movable between an extended condition and retracted condition. Each arm includes a head connected to it that is independently movable in a vertical direction to pick up, hold and/or drop off an item of produce. Each longitudinal carriage arm is further independently movable in a lateral direction to alter the relative spacing between the plurality of heads such that the heads can move across lanes of the robot. The cantilevered arrangement of each carriage arm allows for compact set-out and other advantages.

A tray and its use for conveying pouches for flexible containers such as Doypacks includes a number of partitions that protrude from the base of the tray so as to form between them spaces for the transverse containment of packs of pouches for flexible containers. The containment spaces are used to contain the packs of pouches in a direction that is transverse to the partitions.

The present invention relates to a system for handling sensitive products, in particular for filling and sealing medicaments in containers, comprising an enclosed space (2) in which the sensitive products are handled, a device (3) for monitoring the air in the enclosed space (2) with a measuring point (6) and at least one Petri dish (30), wherein the Petri dish (30) comprises a lower receptacle (31) and a removable lid (32), and an automatic handling device (4), wherein the automatic handling device (4) is designed to automatically transport the Petri dish to the measuring point (6) and back and to remove the lid (32) from the lower receptacle (31) of the Petri dish (30) and put it back on.