An apparatus for inspecting an appearance of capsule 40 in which cap 42 is fitted to body 41 includes a carrying body that carries capsule 40 housed in housing part 33, contact body 34 that rotates capsule 40 carried inside housing part 33 due to a contact friction, imaging device 17 that takes an image of the capsule rotating, and a determination device that determines if the capsule is good or poor based on an imaging data taken by imaging device 17. Wherein contact body 34 moves an inside of housing part 33 to a side of body 41 by rotating the capsule, which is housed in housing part 33 being separated from other capsules, around an axis direction, and the determination device determines an orientation of capsule 40 based on a position of capsule 40 in housing part 33.

Automated system for handling, in particular for overturning, containers such as cage trays for housing laboratory animals. The automated system being suitable to be positioned at the outlet module of a station for treating or washing, said containers and possibly other component parts of said cages such as the lid, the trough and similar component parts. The system then receives said containers and/or other component parts at the outlet from said treatment station, in particular washing station. The system can comprise a first conveyor belt capable of interfacing said outlet module so as to receive said containers and/or said component parts at the outlet of said treatment station. A second conveyor belt can be arranged in succession so as to define a transport direction of said containers and/or component parts substantially parallel to the feed direction of said containers and/or component parts at the exit from said treatment station.

Automated system for handling, in particular for overturning, containers such as cage trays for housing laboratory animals. The automated system being suitable to be positioned at the outlet module of a station for treating or washing, said containers and possibly other component parts of said cages such as the lid, the trough and similar component parts. The system then receives said containers and/or other component parts at the outlet from said treatment station, in particular washing station. The system can comprise a first conveyor belt capable of interfacing said outlet module so as to receive said containers and/or said component parts at the outlet of said treatment station. A second conveyor belt can be arranged in succession so as to define a transport direction of said containers and/or component parts substantially parallel to the feed direction of said containers and/or component parts at the exit from said treatment station.

A method and apparatus for depositing discrete elements on a support element. The discrete elements may be separated from each other or joined to form a continuous web. The discrete elements are fed into a pick-up station defined at a rotor which includes circumferentially adjacent pick-up members. Each discrete element is associated with a respective pick-up member having a first orientation with respect to a respective second axis of rotation. Each pick-up member is moved along the rotation direction towards a release position downstream with an at least partially accelerated or decelerated motion. Each pick-up member is rotated about the respective second axis of rotation until it takes, at the release position, a second orientation. Each discrete element is released on a support element at the release position. Each pick-up member is subsequently moved towards the pick-up station with an at least partially decelerated or accelerated motion.

A method and apparatus for depositing discrete elements on a support element. The discrete elements may be separated from each other or joined to form a continuous web. The discrete elements are fed into a pick-up station defined at a rotor which includes circumferentially adjacent pick-up members. Each discrete element is associated with a respective pick-up member having a first orientation with respect to a respective second axis of rotation. Each pick-up member is moved along the rotation direction towards a release position downstream with an at least partially accelerated or decelerated motion. Each pick-up member is rotated about the respective second axis of rotation until it takes, at the release position, a second orientation. Each discrete element is released on a support element at the release position. Each pick-up member is subsequently moved towards the pick-up station with an at least partially decelerated or accelerated motion.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a frame and a transport apparatus connected to the frame. The transport apparatus has an upper arm link, a forearm link rotatably coupled to the upper arm link about an elbow axis, at least a third arm link rotatably coupled to the forearm about a wrist axis, and an end effector rotatably coupled to the third arm link about a knuckle axis. A two degree of freedom drive system is operably connected to at least one of the upper arm link, the forearm link, and the third arm link for effecting extension and retraction of the end effector wherein a height of the end effector is within the stack height profile of the wrist axis so that a total stack height of the end effector and wrist axis is sized to conform within a pass through of a slot valve.

An insertion system (e.g., in a warehouse or other item-fulfillment environment) can include a chassis. A bottom conveying surface, a first side conveying surface, and a second side conveying surface may be fastened to the chassis respectively along the chassis's bottom face, first lateral face, and second lateral face. A chamber may be bounded by the conveying surfaces and by a rear wall defined at least in part by the front face of the chassis. A linear actuator coupled with the chassis may move the chassis from a home position and toward an extended position to advance the bottom conveying surface, the first side conveying surface, and the second side conveying surface along with the rear wall of the chamber to decrease a size of the chamber and advance contents of the chamber in a depth direction toward a receiving zone.

An insertion system (e.g., in a warehouse or other item-fulfillment environment) can include a chassis. A bottom conveying surface, a first side conveying surface, and a second side conveying surface may be fastened to the chassis respectively along the chassis's bottom face, first lateral face, and second lateral face. A chamber may be bounded by the conveying surfaces and by a rear wall defined at least in part by the front face of the chassis. A linear actuator coupled with the chassis may move the chassis from a home position and toward an extended position to advance the bottom conveying surface, the first side conveying surface, and the second side conveying surface along with the rear wall of the chamber to decrease a size of the chamber and advance contents of the chamber in a depth direction toward a receiving zone.

A turning station for metal sheets or metal sheet stacks, having a first support which forms a first support plane for a first side of the metal sheets, and having a second support which forms a second support plane for a second side of the metal sheets. The supports are rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis and provided with a plurality of detents which project beyond longitudinal edges of the metal sheets. The supports are part of a rotary installation with a frame having two end-side rotary bearings on a common rotation axis and a basket which is mounted in the two rotary bearings for motorized rotation about the rotation axis, the basket having end-side linear guides for the two supports. The supports by way of support planes which extend in parallel and are oriented toward one another are held in the basket such that the rotation axis is situated between the two support planes and the two supports in the end-side linear guides are in each case movable in a motorized manner in a movement direction toward and away from the rotation axis. Methods for unpackaging, storing, and turning metal sheet stacks are also provided.

An apparatus and a method for the transfer of components for inhalers or vaporizers from a loading station in which the components arrive randomly oriented, toward one or more work stations, to which said components are delivered oriented according to a predetermined orientation.