The constructive assembly of the containment means (9) is intended for the automated production of pharmaceutical or biotechnical articles (6). As an end product, a respective article (6) comprises multiple article parts (7). The containment means (9) has a housing (90) within which there is an inner chamber (91) having at least one through opening (917, 919). At most, multiple robots (1, 2) are installed in the chamber (91), which generally have a manipulating element (12, 22) on the pivotable arms (11, 21) thereof, which can move within a pivot range (R.sub.1,R.sub.2). At most, multiple process units (3) are installed in the chamber (91) for the production of the articles (6). The chamber (91) is formed by a process space (93) for the production of the articles (6) and a tub-shaped base space (92) for anchoring the feet (10, 20) of the robots (1, 2) to the side surfaces (910,912,916,918) inside the base space (92). The process space (93) is arranged above the base space (92) and both are adjacent in a corresponding manner and such that they are open to one another. The manipulating element (12, 22) functions as a gripping means and transportation means for the articles (6) or article parts (7) and/or for inspecting the articles (6) or article parts (7) and/or for the production of the articles (6). The pivot range (R.sub.1,R.sub.2) of the manipulating elements (12, 22) on the robots (1, 2) extends in the horizontal and vertical plane within a working region (a), which lies between a minimum and a maximum working height (a.sub.min,a.sub.max).

A recapper for placing foils on laboratory sample containers is presented. The foils are brought on the sample container by a lever arrangement that is rotated around a vertical axis.

An apparatus for securing a cap on a cylindrical container includes: a stage including a receiving region for separately receiving a cap and a container; and an elevator movable upwardly away from the stage and downwardly toward the stage. The elevator includes: a carrier disposed over the stage; a capturing member on the carrier and configured to capture the cap; and at least one extendable member extending from the carrier, the at least one extendable member movable from a home position with the extendable member above a center of the cap and an engagement position with the extendable member engaging the center of the cap and urging the center of the cap downwardly relative to an outer sidewall of the cap.

Various examples are provided for beverage pods, and beverage pod filling machines configured to fill such beverage pods with beverage material, wherein such machines are configured to have a small footprint, such that the filling machines can be provided for use in a home or office setting, for example. Examples of beverage pod components that can be filled with beverage materials and lidding systems therefore are also provided, where the combination of container and lids provides a beverage pod having beverage material therein for use in single serve brewing systems.

Automated systems, methods for constructing card multipacks, and a card multipack constructing using the same are provided. An automated system for constructing card multipacks includes: a movable conveyor including a plurality of tooling plates, each configured to receive a height adjusting member; a first carrier placing station configured to place a first carrier portion of a carrier on a tooling plate of the plurality of tooling plates; a first card placing station configured to place a first stored value card on the first carrier portion; a first data capture station configured to read a first card bar code of the first stored value card in-line in the automated system; and a software system adapted to verify the first card bar code with a data file.

Modular apparatus for filling and closing randomly fed-containers including: a transport system for transporting the containers on at least a first transport plane along a respective article transport direction; a transport system transporting closing elements on a transport plane in a respective transport direction; a filling station; a closing station; an extraction system for transporting the filled and closed containers; first pick and place devices for picking up and positioning the containers; second pick and place devices for picking up and positioning said closing elements; a detection system which detects the position and the arrangement of the containers and the closing elements; a processing and control unit.

The extraction system includes a plane, which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction for extraction of the containers and a transverse widthwise direction of the apparatus and on which the filled and closed articles are transported arranged with a predefined orientation and/or position.

Automated setup and operation of a container capping machine is achieved by providing motors, each under computer control, to make the necessary adjustments regarding setup and operation, and a plurality of sensors and other devices adapted to send information related to container and cap configurations and machine operation to the computer.

Method and systems for capping are described. In one embodiment, an order processing device, a cap device, a plurality of feeders and a capping implement are provided. The order processing device processes orders with containers. The cap device is adapted to cap the container and is communicatively connected to the order processing device. The cap device is adapted to receive dispensation preferences from the order processing device. The cap device includes a plurality of feeders and a capping implement. Each feeder has a unique type of crown portion of a cap for capping. The capping implement is adapted to grasp the crown portion from the feeder. The cap device is adapted to select a feeder from which to grasp the crown portion based on the dispensation preferences. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a transfer plate for a container element. The transfer plate extends in a first direction and a second direction being perpendicular to each other. The transfer plate comprises a cavity portion comprising at least one through-going first cavity adapted to receive and hold the container element, the first cavity having a first open area. The transfer plate further comprises a cover portion being at least as large as, or substantially as large as, the first open area.

The disclosure further relates to an attachment unit for attaching a container element to a container body and to an apparatus for attaching container elements to container bodies in a flow of containers. In addition the disclosure relates to a method of attaching a container element to a container body by means of the attachment unit.

A lid applicator has a main body that receives a conveyor. Containers are placed on the conveyor, and lids are loaded into a chute in the lid applicator. As the containers move towards the lid applicator, the rim of the container contacts the lip of the lid that is being advanced downwardly and at an angle by a plurality of worm screws of the main body. The forward momentum of the container on the conveyor carries the lid away from worm screws, and forms a loose contact between the lid and container. The container and lid then pass under a platform of the main body with a flat surface, fully sealing the lid onto the container. As a next container approaches the chute, a sensor on the main body sends a signal causing the worm screws to dispense another lid at an angle to receive the next container.