An autoloading shingle feeder that singulates an associated stack of media into associated individual articles. The autoloading shingle feeder includes a housing including a base, at least one loading belt with a loading surface that defines a horizontally extending loading plane. The autoloading shingle feeder also includes at least one feeding belt that is distinct from the at least one loading belt and includes a feeding surface that defines a feeding plane. The autoloading shingle feeder also includes a carriage assembly that limits vertical movement of the associated individual article when the associated individual article moves from the at least one loading belt to the at least one feeding belt. The carriage assembly includes at least one separator plate including a pressure portion that linearly extends in the loading direction for direct sliding contact with the associated individual article.

The present invention relates to an auxiliary battery and an auxiliary battery rental device, and the auxiliary battery rental device according to the present invention comprises: a battery port allowing an auxiliary battery to be discharged therefrom or returned thereto; a battery queue in which auxiliary batteries are vertically stacked and loaded; a carrier for discharging an auxiliary battery loaded in the battery queue to the battery port, or loading an auxiliary battery returned to the battery port in the battery queue; a lift for lifting at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; a charging unit for charging at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the rental device such that lending and returning operations of the auxiliary batteries are automatically performed. According to the present invention, lending, returning, charging, and lending of auxiliary batteries can be circularly and automatically performed.

A tray destacker includes a pair of spaced-apart carriages movable vertically relative to a frame. An indexing member is carried by each of the carriages. Each indexing member is movable between a deployed position in which the indexing members are closer to one another and a retracted position in which the indexing members are further from one another. A controller is programmed to automatically split a large stack of trays into two or more smaller stacks.

A pallet blocking apparatus for use with a pallet dispenser, and related method and system are described. The pallet blocking apparatus comprises, a first wall, a second wall substantially parallel to the first wall and spaced apart for allowing movement of a pallet stack with a top pallet and a bottom pallet there inbetween, the pallet stack being dispensed from the pallet dispenser, a pallet storage area defined by the space between the first wall, the second wall, and a pallet blocker, and the pallet blocker spanning the first wall and the second wall, and substantially perpendicular to the first wall and the second wall, the blocker for blocking the top pallet in the pallet stack and urging the top pallet into the pallet storage area.

An apparatus for dispensing microorganism culture plates, culture plate loader and culture plate reader comprising the same, as well as method dispensing microorganism culture plates, method of loading such culture plates into a culture plate reader, and method of counting microorganism colonies on such culture plates.

A pharmacy system and methodology for individually packaged medications and/or supplements assembled into an order for each patient which can be delivered to a long-term care facility or other institution for patient consumption. The process may include receiving a patient's prescription order, automatically dispensing packaged unit doses, and assembling into individually packaged bags for each patient. Various safeguards and measures built into this system and method increase patient safety, eliminate waste, and increase labor efficiency by reducing and/or minimizing the disposal of unused medications and supplements.

An overall pharmacy system and methodology begins with bulk medications and supplements introduced into the work flow, individually packaged and assembled into med pass orders per patient and delivered to the long-term care (LTC) facility or other institution for patient consumption. The process according to one embodiment of this invention begins by converting bulk medications and supplements to packaged unit doses and ultimately individually packaged med pass bags for each patient on a 24-hour schedule. The various safeguards and measures built into this system increase patient safety eliminate waste and increase labor efficiency by reducing and/or minimizing the disposal of unused medications and supplements. The design of the overall system and its individual components allows for physical control of each unit dose package from start to finish without any unit dose package free fall in the system. This process is automated and does not rely upon manual sorting. The med pass bags are consolidated into the final shipping container and do not require manual sorting and packing.

A cover slip dispenser apparatus for storing and dispensing microscope cover slides includes a dispenser body having a square top aperture extending through to a dispenser inside. The dispenser inside is configured to store a plurality of cover slips. A bottom frame has a plurality of spring-loaded ball detents to prevent the plurality of cover slips from passing through unless forced. A plunger is coupled within the dispenser inside and is configured to contact a topmost slip of the plurality of cover slips. A spring is coupled within the dispenser inside and is configured to apply pressure on the plunger to arrange the plurality of cover slips against the plurality of ball detents. A lever is coupled to the dispenser body. A lever bottom of the lever is coupled to the spring. The lever is configured to dispense one cover slip of the plurality of cover slips when depressed.

A destacking conveyor having a conveyor belt with pushers selectively pushing stacked packages transverse to the conveying direction to one side of the conveyor against a vertical wall with a gap between the bottom of the wall and the belt to block the top package of a stack and allow the bottom package to pass through the gap and off the side of the belt to a reject bin. In another version a destacking conveyor uses a force applicator to apply a downward force against the top of a stack to hold the top package while the pushers slide the bottom package from under the top package.

A destacking conveyor having a conveyor belt with pushers selectively pushing stacked packages transverse to the conveying direction to one side of the conveyor against a vertical wall with a gap between the bottom of the wall and the belt to block the top package of a stack and allow the bottom package to pass through the gap and off the side of the belt to a reject bin. In another version a destacking conveyor uses a force applicator to apply a downward force against the top of a stack to hold the top package while the pushers slide the bottom package from under the top package.