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 loading device is provided for portioning food products into trays, including a feeder belt for receiving and conveying food products into a transfer zone; a conveyor belt for conveying the trays in conveying direction into a loading zone below the transfer zone; and a portioning unit for portioning the food products into the trays. The portioning unit has a first and a second constraining mechanism which are configured to be driven, in each case parallel to the conveying direction and orthogonally to the conveying direction, so as to come sequentially into contact with a tray being moved into the loading zone, in such a way that the movement of the tray is constrained at at least one position in the loading zone. A portioning unit and a method of operating a loading device are also provided.

A loading device is provided for portioning food products into trays, including a feeder belt for receiving and conveying food products into a transfer zone; a conveyor belt for conveying the trays in conveying direction into a loading zone below the transfer zone; and a portioning unit for portioning the food products into the trays. The portioning unit has a first and a second constraining mechanism which are configured to be driven, in each case parallel to the conveying direction and orthogonally to the conveying direction, so as to come sequentially into contact with a tray being moved into the loading zone, in such a way that the movement of the tray is constrained at at least one position in the loading zone. A portioning unit and a method of operating a loading device are also provided.

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.

Inspection of a shape-fixed medicine is performed before packing. A medicine inspection assistance device includes: a medicine support part for rotatably supporting a shape-fixed medicine by a first rotating roller and a second rotating roller, and a medicine imaging part having an imaging means for imaging the shape-fixed medicine supported by the medicine support part from above. The medicine support part is configured such that a contact position between the first rotating roller and the shape-fixed medicine is located above the second rotating roller and the contact position is closer to an axis of the first rotating roller than a gravity center position of the shape-fixed medicine.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

An apparatus and process can be used for packaging a product arranged on a support or on a support portion of a continuous support using a packaging assembly configured for tightly fixing a film portion of a plastic film to said support or support portion. A conveyor extends through or in correspondence of the packaging assembly and is configured to move the supports or the support portions inside the packaging assembly. A vacuum arrangement is controlled to extractthrough the conveyor and through holes in the support or support portiongas present in the packaging assembly between the film portion and the underlying support or support portion for then forming a vacuum skin packaged product.

An apparatus and process can be used for packaging a product arranged on a support or on a support portion of a continuous support using a packaging assembly configured for tightly fixing a film portion of a plastic film to said support or support portion. A conveyor extends through or in correspondence of the packaging assembly and is configured to move the supports or the support portions inside the packaging assembly. A vacuum arrangement is controlled to extractthrough the conveyor and through holes in the support or support portiongas present in the packaging assembly between the film portion and the underlying support or support portion for then forming a vacuum skin packaged product.