A food product handling device is provided. The food product handling device can include a movable loading head having a plurality of rails and a vacuum system operatively associated with the head. In addition, a plurality of suction devices carried by the head and configured to pick up and transport a food product as the head is moved can be provided. A plurality of mounting blocks can be slidably coupled to the rails where at least one suction device is coupled to each mounting block. An actuating device can be operatively associated with the mounting blocks such that each mounting block is configured to slide between a first position and a second position.

A box packing apparatus has an accumulating mechanism, a detection unit, and a packing mechanism. The accumulating mechanism is configured to accumulate a plurality of articles to create an article group. The detection unit is configured to detect a posture of the article group. The packing mechanism is configured to pack the article group into a packing box based on a detection result of the detection unit.

A box packing apparatus has an accumulating mechanism, a detection unit, and a packing mechanism. The accumulating mechanism is configured to accumulate a plurality of articles to create an article group. The detection unit is configured to detect a posture of the article group. The packing mechanism is configured to pack the article group into a packing box based on a detection result of the detection unit.

In the method for transferring blister packs from a first and a second pick position to a common place position, the blister packs in the first and second pick positions are arranged next to each other in a row and are each outwardly offset from the longitudinal center plane of the transfer unit. Then the two blister packs are picked successively by two suction arms and placed from above in the place position, which is in the area of the longitudinal center plane. After the placing step, the blister packs in the place positions have a rotation of 180 around their centers in comparison to their orientation in the pick positions; and in addition the blister packs acquire a lateral offset during the transfer.

In the method for transferring blister packs from a first and a second pick position to a common place position, the blister packs in the first and second pick positions are arranged next to each other in a row and are each outwardly offset from the longitudinal center plane of the transfer unit. Then the two blister packs are picked successively by two suction arms and placed from above in the place position, which is in the area of the longitudinal center plane. After the placing step, the blister packs in the place positions have a rotation of 180 around their centers in comparison to their orientation in the pick positions; and in addition the blister packs acquire a lateral offset during the transfer.

Several blister packs are first transferred from a stamping station to an intermediate place element, where the blister packs are placed next to each other in a row in several intermediate place positions. Then the several blister packs in the several intermediate place positions are picked simultaneously from above, moved, and placed from above in several final place positions on a conveyor means. The blister packs in the final place positions are arranged next to each other in a row parallel to the row of blister packs in the intermediate place positions. After the blister packs have been placed in the final place positions, they have the same side facing up as in the intermediate place positions but now with a rotation of 180 around their centers.

Several blister packs are first transferred from a stamping station to an intermediate place element, where the blister packs are placed next to each other in a row in several intermediate place positions. Then the several blister packs in the several intermediate place positions are picked simultaneously from above, moved, and placed from above in several final place positions on a conveyor means. The blister packs in the final place positions are arranged next to each other in a row parallel to the row of blister packs in the intermediate place positions. After the blister packs have been placed in the final place positions, they have the same side facing up as in the intermediate place positions but now with a rotation of 180 around their centers.

A gripper (1) for an ophthalmic lens comprises a gripper head (14) having a bearing surface (140), the bearing surface (140) having at least one through-opening (14), the bearing surface (140) further having a separate detection through-opening (142) other than the at least one through-opening (141); a suction channel (170) arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel (170) leading to the at least one through-opening (141) in the bearing surface (140); an overpressure channel (130) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel (130) leading to the at least one through-opening (141); and a detection vacuum tube (16) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube (16) leading to the separate detection through-opening (142) in the bearing surface (140).

The detection vacuum tube (16) has a distal end which is arranged in the detection through-opening (142) in a fluid-tight manner, and the detection through-opening (142) is arranged in the center of the bearing surface (140) of the gripper.

A handling device for a filling of one or several product-receiving containers (12) with products (14) includes at least one feeding unit (16) for a feeding of the products (14), further includes at least one handling unit (18) for a handling of the products (14), and includes at least one alignment unit (20), which is configured for an alignment, at least with respect to a vertical plane (22), of the products (14) transferred to the alignment unit (20) by the handling unit (18) in order to feed the products (14) to the product-receiving containers (12) in a predetermined orientation. The alignment unit (20) includes at least one transfer element (24) and at least one support element (32), which are configured to alternatingly hold the products (14) in the product-receiving containers (12) in the predetermined orientation.

A handling device for a filling of one or several product-receiving containers (12) with products (14) includes at least one feeding unit (16) for a feeding of the products (14), further includes at least one handling unit (18) for a handling of the products (14), and includes at least one alignment unit (20), which is configured for an alignment, at least with respect to a vertical plane (22), of the products (14) transferred to the alignment unit (20) by the handling unit (18) in order to feed the products (14) to the product-receiving containers (12) in a predetermined orientation. The alignment unit (20) includes at least one transfer element (24) and at least one support element (32), which are configured to alternatingly hold the products (14) in the product-receiving containers (12) in the predetermined orientation.