A system enables management of dispensable units by supporting functions such as retrieval, scheduled distribution, analysis, and notifications. To this end, a dispensable retrieval mechanism may be programmed to carry out blind retrievals of dispensable units using a retrieval strategy with a predetermined sequence of retrieval attempts (e.g., fixed or varying two-dimensional retrieval patterns), which may be open loop or closed loop. Techniques may also include the identification of dispensable units through optical sensors and weight measurement devices that can detect, e.g., a texture, a shape, and a size of dispensable units. Such identification can be used to program retrieval attempts by a retrieval robot and in the formulation of the retrieval pattern. Additionally, networked notification systems for dispensable units can be used for updating rules or schedules related to the dispensable units, or alerting users and remote resources of any potential misuse or hazards of the dispensable units.

An automated pharmaceutical dispensing system includes: a tablet dispensing station comprising a plurality of cells for dispensing pills, each of the cells mounted in a dispensing location, each of the cells including a channel for dispensing pills into a container and an inlet configured to be adjustable so that pills in the cell are conveyed through the inlet and into the channel in single file; and an autocalibration station, the autocalibration station comprising a mechanism for automatically adjusting the inlet of a cell based on the dimensions of the pills to be contained in the cell. The autocalibration station is configured and located to also provide a dispensing location, such that a cell docked therein may function to dispense pills.

A conveyor apparatus (1) can include a control mechanism to permit automatic monitoring of a conveyor belt (7) and automatically actuate adjustment of the belt (7). In some embodiments, at least two sensors (31) can be utilized to detect an operational condition of the belt (7) indicating an undesirable alignment of the belt as the belt moves to convey material. Upon such a detected operational condition, a control mechanism can automatically actuate adjustment of at least one belt support device to adjust motion of the belt (7) in response to the detected operational condition.

A conveyor apparatus (1) can include a control mechanism to permit automatic monitoring of a conveyor belt (7) and automatically actuate adjustment of the belt (7). In some embodiments, at least two sensors (31) can be utilized to detect an operational condition of the belt (7) indicating an undesirable alignment of the belt as the belt moves to convey material. Upon such a detected operational condition, a control mechanism can automatically actuate adjustment of at least one belt support device to adjust motion of the belt (7) in response to the detected operational condition.

The present invention relates to automatic and high throughput smart, robotic, autonomous or driver operated, self-propelled field crops harvester (SPFCH) device of row crops, characterized by the need of selecting harvesting ripen crop, during relative long period of time. Harvesting is done by one or more modular robotic harvesting arms hanged on modular booms. When harvesting orchards fruits the SPFCH comprise at least one hybrid robotic arms equipped with a grabbing hand aimed to grab one or more fruit of a an adjacent fruits and also cut its connecting stem, and arm transporting mechanism that gently collects the fruits and transport them to the SPFCH main accumulation area. When harvesting cotton, the SPFCH of the invention may further comprise vacuum sucking hoses and at least one ginning unit that gin the seed-cotton during harvesting and accumulate the seeds in a self-container, and the lint by bales processed, on board by self-press.

A flexible feeding system including a tray configured to orient, segregate and singulate objects. The tray is operatively coupled to a multi-directional vibratory platform for causing movement of the objects in multiple different directions on the tray. The tray includes an orienting region having orienting slots for orienting the objects, and a divider that separates the orienting region from a singulating region of the tray. The divider includes openings that correspond with the orienting slots. The openings are configured to permit the objects which are oriented in the slots to pass across the divider into the singulating region, while restricting the misoriented objects from passing across the divider. The tray may include an upstream bulk region for containing a plurality of the objects in bulk form. The tray also may include a downstream pick region for confining the oriented objects at predetermined locations in each of the slots.

A feeding device for feeding products from a storage container on to a conveyor belt moving in a conveyor direction is provided wherein a feeding belt at a storage container opening on a lower side of the storage container receives products to be conveyed and transports them to an upper side of the conveyor belt, in order to deliver the products on to the conveyor belt in a feeding region on the upper side of the conveyor belt, the feeding belt has a number of holes, the dimensions of which are adapted to the products to be conveyed such that a respective product can fall through an associated hole. A guiding element extending from the storage container opening to the feeding region on the upper side of the conveyor belt, including a guiding surface arranged directly below the feeding belt, is arranged on a lower side of the feeding belt in such a way that the guiding surface prevents the products from falling through the holes of the feeding belt until the products are delivered on to the upper side of the conveyor belt in the feeding region. The holes are arranged in the feeding belt in a matrix shape. The guiding surface of the guiding element forms a low-friction and abrasion-resistant flat sliding surface.

A system enables management of dispensable units by supporting functions such as retrieval, scheduled distribution, analysis, and notifications. To this end, a dispensable retrieval mechanism may be programmed to carry out blind retrievals of dispensable units using a retrieval strategy with a predetermined sequence of retrieval attempts (e.g., fixed or varying two-dimensional retrieval patterns), which may be open loop or closed loop. Techniques may also include the identification of dispensable units through optical sensors and weight measurement devices that can detect, e.g., a texture, a shape, and a size of dispensable units. Such identification can be used to program retrieval attempts by a retrieval robot and in the formulation of the retrieval pattern. Additionally, networked notification systems for dispensable units can be used for updating rules or schedules related to the dispensable units, or alerting users and remote resources of any potential misuse or hazards of the dispensable units.

A device and a method for the separation of elongated parts (long parts) from bulk materials. The device comprises a conveying device (1), a deflecting device (2) and a rake with webs (4) being oriented longitudinally to the conveying direction. According to the method, the bulk material is transported on the conveying device (1), and then long parts (10) are oriented by means of a deflecting device (2) transversely to the conveying direction. After passing through the deflecting device (2), the transversely oriented long parts are transferred to the rake (4) and discharged as coarse materials (7). Compact parts (11) fall through this rake and thus end up in the fine material (6).

A transport and feed unit for preforms, in particular for PET bottles, in which the transport and feed unit can be charged with preforms at its upstream end and supplies the preforms to a conveyor unit arranged at the downstream end of the transport and feed unit. The transport and feed unit has a first conveyor and a second conveyor, in which at the downstream end of the first conveyor a funnel-like device is provided through which the preforms reach the second conveyor which supplies the preforms to the conveyor unit arranged at its downstream end.