An article transfer apparatus includes a holding portion, a driving portion that moves the holding portion, a control unit, and a reference detection portion that detects a reference position of a target article held by the holding portion. The control unit performs reference detection control to detect, by the reference detection portion, the reference position in a state in which the target article is lifted, determination control to determine a positional relationship between the holding portion and the reference position based on a result of detection by the reference detection control, and position calculation control to calculate, based on the positional relationship determined by the determination control, a movement destination position that is a position, of the holding portion at the movement destination, at which an outer edge of the target article held by the holding portion fits within a movement region.

A top loading assembly is provided. The assembly includes a robotic arm and an article collector assembly supported thereby. The robotic arm is characterized by first and second arm segments and three pivotable arm joints, a first arm joint J1 being a distal arm joint for operatively supporting said collector assembly, a second arm joint J2 being an intermediate arm joint, and a third arm joint J3 being a terminal/anchorable arm joint. The collector assembly, directable from an article collection locus to a collected article loading locus, includes a collector adapted to effectuate select clamping in relation to articles collected by the collector during direction of the collector assembly from the article collection locus to the collected article loading locus.

A magnetic pouch clamp assembly includes a first and second clamping arms and a magnet assembly. The first clamping arms have respective, opposed first and second clamping surfaces. The second clamp arm is slidably connected to the first clamping arm such that the first and second clamping arms are movable between open and closed positions, with the first and second clamping surfaces being engaged in the closed position. The magnet assembly includes a first magnet having a first polarity carried by the first clamping arm and a second magnet having a second polarity carried by the second clamping arm, the first and second polarities being oriented such that a closing attractive force therebetween holds the first and second clamping surfaces in the closed position. A third magnet can be used to hold the clamping surfaces in the open position or to enhance closing forces.

A pouched product adapted for release of a water-soluble component therefrom is provided herein. The pouched product can include an outer water-permeable pouch defining a cavity; and a composition adapted for oral use situated within the cavity and comprising a water-soluble component; wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a nonwoven web comprising a biodegradable binder, the biodegradable binder comprising one or more aliphatic polyesters.

A method to create a shredded jackfruit product is described and includes: pre-heating a mixer or tumbler; adding dried shredded jackfruit to the mixer or tumbler; adding a hot brine to the mixer or tumbler; sealing the mixer or tumbler; placing the mixer or tumbler in a vacuum; and tumbling the tumbler at a rate for a time period until the hot brine is absorbed in the dried shredded jackfruit to form a final shredded jackfruit product. A method to create a minced product from shredded jackfruit is also described and includes: chilling shredded jackfruit to a temperature; transferring the chilled shredded jackfruit to a grinder; grinding the chilled shredded jackfruit; preparing a binding agent emulsion using a device; and preparing a minced product.

A part packing system includes a bag holding machine including a part funnel having an opening configured to receive an end of a part and having a bag end manipulator holding first and second bag end gripper mechanisms that receive an end of the bag therebetween to open the end of the bag to form a mouth at the end of the bag. The bag end manipulator moves the first and second bag end gripper mechanisms to position the mouth of the bag immediately downstream of the opening of the part funnel. A part loading machine including a part manipulator holding the part and moving the part to a loading position upstream of the part funnel and moving the part gripper mechanism to load an end of the part through the opening in the part funnel into the mouth of the bag to load the part into the bag.

Presented and described are a device for separately applying additive packaging material, preferably wrapped straws, supplied as an additive packaging material continuous belt, to packages, in particular cardboard composite packages, having a separating organ for separating the additive packaging material of the additive packaging material continuous belt, a supply means for supplying the additive packaging material continuous belt to the separating organ and for relaying the additive packaging material separated by the separating organ, an application means for applying the separated additive packaging materials to the packages and a transport means for transporting the packages along a package transport path to the application means. So that the separation and application of the additive packaging materials can be carried out quickly, with high quality and reliably, it is provided that a transfer means is provided for picking up the additive packaging material relayed from the supply means and for accelerating the transferred additive packaging material to a speed adapted to the application means.

A lid forming device of a cardboard box using a first flap with a slit and a second flap to be extended after being bent into a mountain shape is disclosed. The lid forming device includes first and second folding mechanisms. The fist folding mechanism folds the first flap in a direction of closing the opening. The second folding mechanism bends the second flap into a mountain shape and inserts part of the second flap into the slit of the first flap while extending the second flap. The second folding mechanism includes first and second retaining units. The first retaining unit retains a first face of the second flap located between a free end of the second flap and a bend line set beforehand in the second flap. The second retaining unit retains a second face of the second flap located between an anchored end and the bend line.

Systems and methods for transporting live insects in a secure and environmentally controlled manner. The systems include containers and packaging for transporting the live insects at a controlled temperature and pressure.

A method of manufacturing a container includes: a container preparing step of placing a filling space of the pouch inside a receiving space of an outer container; and a pouch expanding step of supplying air to the filling space of the pouch and expanding the pouch toward the receiving space.