A method for building an article array comprised of (n) rows of articles, as disclosed herein.

Systems and methods are disclosed for a medical pill dispensing system. A system includes a plurality of canisters and/or a manual fill tray for storing one or more pills, where the supply module includes a plurality of containers. Each of the plurality of containers or the manual fill tray is configured to dispense one or more pills of a respective type. The system also includes a hopper system for receiving the one or more pills from the plurality of containers or the manual fill tray. The system also includes a top pre-fill tray configured to receive one or more pills from the hopper system. The system further includes a bottom pre-fill tray configured to receive one or more pills from the top pre-fill tray. Both the top pre-fill tray and the bottom pre-fill tray include a plurality of X-direction and Y-direction pointers. The system also includes a control module that facilitates alignment of the top pre-fill tray with the bottom pre-fill tray using the X-direction and Y-direction pointers in both the top pre-fill tray and the bottom pre-fill tray. Feedback logic is used by the control module to align then top and bottom pre-fill trays. The system also includes a packing plate that is capable of receiving a plurality of pill packs. In operation, the system controls dispensing and navigation of one or more pills from a container or manual pre-fill tray such that the pill makes it way from the container, through the hopper system and the top and bottom pre-fill trays and into a desired slot in the pill pack. The multi pre-fill tray system, and its mechanisms that provide for separated compartmentalization of pills, allow the medical pill dispensing system to parallel process and dispense pills designated for multiple pill packs without having to wait till the completion of any one pill pack thereby providing for a higher efficiency system while ensuring that pills designated for one pill pack are not mixed with pills designated for another pill pack.

An apparatus for the transverse welding of a tape traveling in a machine direction, comprising: a stationary structure, a rotary structure rotatable with respect to the stationary structure about a rotation axis perpendicular to said machine direction, a plurality of welding units carried by said rotary structure and spaced apart in a circumferential direction, wherein each of said welding units comprises an inner welding element fixed relative to the rotary structure and an outer welding element cyclically movable with respect to the rotary structure between a release position and an operative position, and vice versa, wherein each of said outer welding elements during the movement from said release position to said operative position, and vice versa, performs an angular rotation movement about a respective radial axis perpendicular to said rotation axis, and a linear translation movement along said radial axis.

An apparatus for the transverse welding of a tape traveling in a machine direction, comprising: a stationary structure, a rotary structure rotatable with respect to the stationary structure about a rotation axis perpendicular to said machine direction, a plurality of welding units carried by said rotary structure and spaced apart in a circumferential direction, wherein each of said welding units comprises an inner welding element fixed relative to the rotary structure and an outer welding element cyclically movable with respect to the rotary structure between a release position and an operative position, and vice versa, wherein each of said outer welding elements during the movement from said release position to said operative position, and vice versa, performs an angular rotation movement about a respective radial axis perpendicular to said rotation axis, and a linear translation movement along said radial axis.

A packaging machine for making filter bags with infusion products includes a plurality of processing stations defining a processing path for making filter bags with infusion products and an extraction station situated immediately downstream of the processing path. The extraction station comprises a stacking unit having a guide channel to allow the ordered and continuous feeding of the filter bags and a transfer device for transferring the filter bags coming from the processing path to the stacking unit. The stacking unit includes a connecting element positioned downstream of the processing stations and upstream of the guide channel for receiving as input from the transfer device the filter bags coming from the processing path. The connecting element is connected at the outlet with the guide channel and includes a chute surface having a curved stretch shaped to allow feeding of the filter bags along a feed direction.

A packaging machine for making filter bags with infusion products includes a plurality of processing stations defining a processing path for making filter bags with infusion products and an extraction station situated immediately downstream of the processing path. The extraction station comprises a stacking unit having a guide channel to allow the ordered and continuous feeding of the filter bags and a transfer device for transferring the filter bags coming from the processing path to the stacking unit. The stacking unit includes a connecting element positioned downstream of the processing stations and upstream of the guide channel for receiving as input from the transfer device the filter bags coming from the processing path. The connecting element is connected at the outlet with the guide channel and includes a chute surface having a curved stretch shaped to allow feeding of the filter bags along a feed direction.

An apparatus for the transverse welding of a tape traveling in a machine direction, comprising: a stationary structure, a rotary structure rotatable with respect to the stationary structure about a rotation axis perpendicular to said machine direction, a plurality of welding units carried by said rotary structure and spaced apart in a circumferential direction, wherein each of said welding units comprises an inner welding element fixed relative to the rotary structure and an outer welding element cyclically movable with respect to the rotary structure between a release position and an operative position, and vice versa, wherein each of said outer welding elements during the movement from said release position to said operative position, and vice versa, performs an angular rotation movement about a respective radial axis perpendicular to said rotation axis, and a linear translation movement along said radial axis.

An apparatus for the transverse welding of a tape traveling in a machine direction, comprising: a stationary structure, a rotary structure rotatable with respect to the stationary structure about a rotation axis perpendicular to said machine direction, a plurality of welding units carried by said rotary structure and spaced apart in a circumferential direction, wherein each of said welding units comprises an inner welding element fixed relative to the rotary structure and an outer welding element cyclically movable with respect to the rotary structure between a release position and an operative position, and vice versa, wherein each of said outer welding elements during the movement from said release position to said operative position, and vice versa, performs an angular rotation movement about a respective radial axis perpendicular to said rotation axis, and a linear translation movement along said radial axis.

A tray for receiving sausages is provided. The tray includes cells which are adapted to substantially match the shape of sausages or other soft materials. The tray may be vacuum sealed to cause a relatively uniform top surface suitable for stacking. The tray may be sealed without pre-freezing the sausages and without causing significant deformation to said sausages upon thawing. The tray may be loaded in an automated manner without the use of robotic arms placing individual sausages into the tray.

A tray for receiving sausages is provided. The tray includes cells which are adapted to substantially match the shape of sausages or other soft materials. The tray may be vacuum sealed to cause a relatively uniform top surface suitable for stacking. The tray may be sealed without pre-freezing the sausages and without causing significant deformation to said sausages upon thawing. The tray may be loaded in an automated manner without the use of robotic arms placing individual sausages into the tray.