Storage and dispensing devices are provided, which include a housing, a rotor disposed in the housing, a dispensing opening disposed in a bottom surface of the housing and configured to receive an individual medicament portion when a first channel of the rotor is aligned with the dispensing opening, and a recess disposed in the bottom surface of the housing and at least partially surrounding an axis of the rotor. Additional storage and dispensing devices are also provided.

Storage and dispensing devices are provided, which include a housing, a rotor disposed in the housing, a dispensing opening disposed in a bottom surface of the housing and configured to receive an individual medicament portion when a first channel of the rotor is aligned with the dispensing opening, and a recess disposed in the bottom surface of the housing and at least partially surrounding an axis of the rotor. Additional storage and dispensing devices are also provided.

A pill feed apparatus (30) is configured to be utilized in connection with a unit dose packaging machine (10) or other device. The exemplary apparatus includes a plurality of feeder discs (104, 150, 174) that include a plurality of pill engaging apertures (120, 152, 176) that are sized for holding pills of different respective pill configurations. The respective feeder discs are rotatably movable within a base interior area (238) that is bounded by a base ring (42). A cover (66) is in supporting connection with a plurality of deformable brushes (234, 240, 242, 244, 246, 248) that are configured to engage pills that move with a feeder disc. Rotation of a feeder disc causes pills positioned within the interior area to be moved into sequential engagement with the brushes such that a single pill is caused to be engaged with each respective aperture. Pills are delivered individually and in a controlled manner from the apertures for inclusion in packages.

A pill feed apparatus (30) is configured to be utilized in connection with a unit dose packaging machine (10) or other device. The exemplary apparatus includes a plurality of feeder discs (104, 150, 174) that include a plurality of pill engaging apertures (120, 152, 176) that are sized for holding pills of different respective pill configurations. The respective feeder discs are rotatably movable within a base interior area (238) that is bounded by a base ring (42). A cover (66) is in supporting connection with a plurality of deformable brushes (234, 240, 242, 244, 246, 248) that are configured to engage pills that move with a feeder disc. Rotation of a feeder disc causes pills positioned within the interior area to be moved into sequential engagement with the brushes such that a single pill is caused to be engaged with each respective aperture. Pills are delivered individually and in a controlled manner from the apertures for inclusion in packages.

An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.

An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.

An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.

An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.

A tablet dispensing apparatus for dispensing tablets into containers includes a cylindrical drum having an inner cavity and a cylindrical side wall provided with a row of seats adjacent to each other along a circumference arc, each seat for accommodating a respective tablet, and an ejection device to interact with the seats at angular ejection positions of the drum to eject the tablets from the seats out of the drum. The side wall is provided internally with a groove extending along the circumference arc and communicating with the seats. The ejection device has an ejection element movable during rotation of the drum, at an angular ejection position thereof, in an operating position. The ejection element is slidably inserted in a groove and at least partially in the seats to push outwardly and eject the respective tablets from the seats while the drum rotates.