Medication containers are provided with a body having a wireless communication device secured to a lower surface of the body. The wireless communication device includes an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip. The antenna includes a conductor sheet defining a slot and an aperture. The body defines a downwardly extending cell that is configured to receive a medication, with the aperture of the conductor sheet receiving at least a portion of the cell. The conductor sheet may include a plurality of apertures and the body may define a plurality of cells, with each aperture receiving a different one of the cells. A cover may be secured to an upper surface of the body to enclose the medication within the cell. If the medication container includes a plurality of cells and a frangible cover, it may be configured as a blister pack.

Medication containers are provided with a body having a wireless communication device secured to a lower surface of the body. The wireless communication device includes an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip. The antenna includes a conductor sheet defining a slot and an aperture. The body defines a downwardly extending cell that is configured to receive a medication, with the aperture of the conductor sheet receiving at least a portion of the cell. The conductor sheet may include a plurality of apertures and the body may define a plurality of cells, with each aperture receiving a different one of the cells. A cover may be secured to an upper surface of the body to enclose the medication within the cell. If the medication container includes a plurality of cells and a frangible cover, it may be configured as a blister pack.

A feed unit for articles includes: a first feeding device; a second feeding device for individually picking up the articles from the first feeding device at a removal location at a predetermined time interval; and a synchronization device for receiving the articles from the first feeding device and to moving the articles into the removal location. A control system is also provided, to adjust the speed of the synchronization device in such a manner that each article reaches the removal location at the predetermined time interval in order to be picked up by the second feeding device.

A feed unit for articles includes: a first feeding device; a second feeding device for individually picking up the articles from the first feeding device at a removal location at a predetermined time interval; and a synchronization device for receiving the articles from the first feeding device and to moving the articles into the removal location. A control system is also provided, to adjust the speed of the synchronization device in such a manner that each article reaches the removal location at the predetermined time interval in order to be picked up by the second feeding device.

A system, method and apparatus for transferring bulk material for transport, the method includes placing a first quantity of bulk material in a soft-sided bulk material container, extending a first hold-in across the container from a first side of the container to a second location, the second location being substantially toward a second side of the container, wherein the first hold-in is secured to the first side of the container, securing the first hold-in to the second location and placing a second quantity of bulk material in the container, the second quantity covering the first hold-in and securing the first hold-in to the second location with a weight of the second quantity of bulk material.

A system, method and apparatus for transferring bulk material for transport, the method includes placing a first quantity of bulk material in a soft-sided bulk material container, extending a first hold-in across the container from a first side of the container to a second location, the second location being substantially toward a second side of the container, wherein the first hold-in is secured to the first side of the container, securing the first hold-in to the second location and placing a second quantity of bulk material in the container, the second quantity covering the first hold-in and securing the first hold-in to the second location with a weight of the second quantity of bulk material.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is the deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is the deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

An order processing system, such as may be used in a high-volume pharmacy, may include a material handling system, an accumulator, and a packing device. The material handling system may move containers through a plurality of container paths. The container sorting device may receive the containers, scan the plurality of containers to detect container identifiers, and separate the containers based on the container identifiers to travel through a first container exit path or a second container exit path. The accumulator may accumulate containers that traveled through the first container exit path and the second container exit path. The accumulator may include an accumulator scanning device for scanning the containers to detect the container identifiers. The accumulator may group the containers together based on the detected container identifiers and orders, and provide the grouped containers. The packing device may package the grouped containers along with literature associated with the orders.

A system for automatic packaging of shoes can include a first subsystem that can determine shoe type information from a shoe or pair of shoes to be packaged, a second subsystem that can automatically package the shoe, or pair of shoes, in a packaging container, and a third subsystem that can dynamically control the automatic packaging based at least in part on the determined shoe type information.