The present invention provides a medication dispenser enabling the controlled sequential delivery of a regimen of pills on an as-needed basis with a predetermined prescribed minimum time interval between delivery of each pill, from any flat multiple pill-containing pack of the blister package type having at least one column of pills to be dispensed, said dispenser comprising: a) an access portal sized to receive at least one any such blister pack and to guide said pack to at least one electromechanical blister pack advancing unit which in turn sequentially advances said pack to a stationary depilling station, said station comprising: i. pill detecting means; ii. a blister pack support having at least one pill receiving aperture, sized and positioned to receive pills of different sizes, shapes and spacing in said blister pack array; and, iii. an electromechanical depilling press means positioned, upon activation, to force at least one pill at a time from its respective blister through the backing of said blister via said aperture as said blister pack is advanced through said stationary depilling station within said dispenser.

The apparatus includes a moveable support platform within the container to reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

A device is provided for removing product items contained in a blister package having raised protrusions containing the product items and a protective membrane holding the items in the protrusions having a holder. The holder has a first and second end. The device has a first and second heating band post, at least one heating band, a power element, a power switch for supplying a power source to the power element, and electronic control circuitry for controlling current to the heating band.

A method and apparatus for opening of a plastic bag containing a food product in the form of powder or similar fine particulate material is disclosed. The bag is positioned atop a plate with a plurality of slots, with at least one slot transverse to the others. Beneath the plate, a bag opener is provided that includes a plurality of blades, with at least one blade transverse to the others. The plastic bag is penetrated with aeration spears and pressurized. The bag opener is moved relative to the plate such that the blades pass through the slots and open the bag. The plate is then allowed to pivot downwards, allowing its contents to be emptied into a hopper beneath the plate.

A moveable support platform within a container may reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The moveable support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support platform may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

An automatic device for emptying bags of frozen blood product includes a product removal device, a product reception hopper, a transporter for transporting the bag from a reception area to the product removal device, and at least one cutter located in the path of the bag between the reception area and the product removal device. The at least one cutter is housed in a support configured to oscillate for absorbing energy of impacts of the bag against the cutter and to return the cutter to its initial position.

A system and method for systematic, controlled removal of sterile products from blister packs for use during surgery is disclosed.

The invention relates to a device for extracting pills from a blister pack provided with a push-through foil, comprising: an at least partially curved extracting surface for stationary placing of the blister pack, wherein the push-through foil lies against the extracting surface and wherein the extracting surface is provided on the underside with drop openings corresponding to positions of the pills in the blister pack, one or more rotatable pressure rollers, wherein each pressure roller is rollable with predetermined rolling pressure over at least a part of the surface of the blister pack during operation for the purpose of pressing the pills out of the blister pack through the push-through foil and through the drop openings, and a collecting means placed under the extracting surface for collecting pills which have dropped through the drop openings.

A sample container for an agricultural sample such as soil comprises: an elongated tubular body defining a longitudinal axis, a top end, a bottom end, and an internal cavity extending between the ends configured for holding the sample; a first cap detachably coupled to the top end; and a second cap slideably disposed in the cavity, the second cap being movable in opposing directions between the top and bottom ends.

A sample unloading system comprising: a wash-down enclosure defining an inner chamber; a rotatable carriage disposed in the inner chamber, the carriage configured to receive a sample tube containing an agricultural material and rotate the sample tube between a plurality of rotational positions; a tube gripper mechanism disposed on the carriage, the tube gripper mechanism configured to selectively engage the sample tube when positioned in the carriage; wherein the tube gripper mechanism retains the sample tube in the carriage when the sample tube is in an inverted position.