Abstract: A bill processing apparatus is provided that can reduce the frequency of occurrences of removal of a leaf shaped medium (dispensed bill) being forgotten. Processing a medium handover port where a leaf shaped medium is handed over, and a medium handover port mechanism provided at the medium handover port and successively raising and lowering the leaf shaped medium, fed out from inside the machine (the automated teller machine), inside the medium handover port. The medium handover port mechanism notifies a user of the position of the leaf shaped medium with a visible action by successively raising and lowering the leaf shaped medium inside the medium handover port.

Abstract: The apparatus and process of the present invention provides for the automated, singulated dispensing of articles, particularly solid oral medication in predetermined quantities. The apparatus of the invention is a canister which houses a screw having a channel of a certain width and depth that corresponds to the dimensions of a particular pill type. The screw is removably mounted within a canister, such that screws having channels of various dimensions, corresponding to a particular pill to be dispensed, can be substituted into the canister. Upon rotation of the screw, the articles to be dispensed travel along a sidewall, pass under a singulation ramp, and exit from an aperture on the proximal end of the canister. A rotational driver-coupling is mounted to the proximal end of the screw, allowing for activation of the canister by engaging the screw. The present invention further describes methods of dispensing articles.

Abstract: A system for diagnostic testing may include a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to a test media and a container configured to contain test media compatible with the meter. The meter may include a closure portion for selectively closing the opening of the container. The system may also provide mechanisms to disable a power source, an auto-on function of the meter, a diagnostic testing function of the meter, or other function of the meter when it has been determined that a triggering event has occurred. The system may further provide mechanisms to reconfigure the meter to perform a new function when it has been determined that the triggering event has occurred.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to dispense a plurality of connected inflatable structures is provided. The apparatus may include a motor which is configured to advance a dispensing device to thereby advance the connected inflatable structures. A sensor is configured to detect a pulling force applied to the dispensing device and configured to output a signal corresponding to the pulling force. A controller is configured to receive the signal and output a control signal to direct the motor to advance the dispensing device in response to the signal to thereby dispense the connected inflatable structures. A related system includes the apparatus in addition to an inflation device configured to inflate the connected inflatable structures and an accumulation bin configured to store the connected inflatable structures. A related method is also provided.

Abstract: A lottery ticket machine able to prevent tickets from being illegally drawn out includes a machine base provided with a driving device, two press rollers with pressed streaks on the wheel surface and a control device. One of the two press rollers is provided with a shaft extending out of the machine base for fixing the control device that contains a rotary gear with engage holes, a bushing and a control wheel bored with bushing hole to be fitted with the bushing and disposed with engage teeth and projecting members to be respectively engaged with the engage holes of the rotary gear. An outer cover covered on the control device is provided inside with engage teeth to correspondingly engage with the engage teeth of the control wheel, and a spring has opposite ends respectively pushing against the control wheel and the inner wall of the bushing cover.

Abstract: A dispensing system for a vending machine includes a vend motor, a cradle, a load bar and a push arm. Upon selection of a particular product, the vend motor rotates the cradle, causing the product to emerge from the vending machine. The cradle is designed to accommodate a wide array of container sizes. The dispensing system incorporates a rotation sensor, a position sensor, and a lift arm. The sensors enable accurate rotation of the cradle through a plurality of vend angles depending upon the particular product being vended, while the lift arm cooperates with the push arm and load bar to refill the cradle after a series of product containers have been dispensed. In addition, the vend motor includes a soft start control that prevents instantaneous rotation of the output shaft so as to prolong an overall operational life of the motor.

Abstract: A multi-channel separation mechanism assembly for a lottery or other ticket dispensing machine includes a separate detachable feed mechanism associated with each separate feed channel, such that the feed mechanism for a single channel can be removed and replaced without replacing the entire assembly. Each such detachable feed mechanism includes a compact transmission wherein drive is efficiently transferred from a vertically-oriented feed motor to horizontally-oriented feed rollers. Each feed channel is additionally equipped with a bidirectional mechanical flag which triggers an optical sensor to detect presence of a ticket strip in the channel while still allowing appropriate reverse motion of the ticket strip within the associated channel.

Abstract: A media presenter is described. The media presenter comprises: a chassis including a central track; a nose coupled to the chassis at a nose end of the chassis; and a carriage. The nose includes a presenting end distal from the chassis, and a nose track arranged to couple to the central track to provide a presenting track extending from the chassis to the presenting end. The carriage is mounted on the presenting track for movement therealong, and comprises a carriage body and a carriage plate movable between an open position at which media items can be placed on the carriage plate, and a closed position for clamping media items between the carriage plate and the carriage body.

Abstract: A machine particularly adapted for dispensing light items packaged in pliable pouches or packets having a machine graspable crowned carrier. The items are propelled in a queue through a tubular cartridge along a track having a ratcheting mechanism to be individually dispensed. A motorized reciprocation bolt engages the mechanism at the back of the cartridge. Multiple cartridges can be grouped together in an expandable array using an interlocking bar and T system to form a removable magazine. Each cartridge can be selectively addressed and activated by its dedicated motorized bolt. In a preferred embodiment of the ratcheting mechanism, the heads of the package carriers are held within a C-shaped track and propelled by the alternating back-and forth motion of a crenelated drive rack successively pushing a sled at the rear of the package queue. A self-engaging brake impedes backward movements of the sled and packages during a return stroke of the drive rack.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting, sorting, counting and consolidating an unorganized pool of solid or semi-solid articles such as pills for dispensation. Specifically, the articles are extracted from inside a bin using attraction points on a transport substrate and sorted into containers in finite quantities. The system consists of several components, preferably including a torque source, a counter and a vacuum source, which are uniquely integrated onto a single end-effector to reduce cost and redundancy by servicing several bins. Further, the system presents a method of attracting and carrying pills using negative vacuum pressure, gravity and centrifugal force. This centrifugal force holds articles to the local attraction points and is provided by the spinning of the transport substrate. Pills are collected from the bin or plenum at the local attraction points, counted, cleaved from the local attraction points and guided to a container or vial.

Abstract: An automated medicament dispensing machine for dispensing and counting individual medicaments. A medicament supply bin holds a plurality of medicaments. A singulator extends into the medicament supply bin and functions to singulate the plurality of medicaments. The singulator includes a trough that extends into the medicament supply bin. A helix is positioned over the top of the trough. The helix is uncovered at its top. A motor is connected to the helix and rotates the helix so that excess medicaments fall backwards along the trough or into the medicament supply bin as individual medicaments are singulated.

Abstract: The apparatus and process of the present invention provides for the automated, singulated dispensing of articles, particularly solid oral medication in predetermined quantities. The apparatus of the invention is a canister which houses a screw having a channel of a certain width and depth that corresponds to the dimensions of a particular pill type. The screw is removably mounted to a cradle and the screw and cradle combination is positioned within the canister so that it is generally parallel to the base of the canister. By virtue of being removably mounted, screws having channels of various dimensions, corresponding to a particular pill to be dispensed, can be substituted into the cradle within canister. A removable shelf is mounted to at least one interior side of the cradle and is positioned near the proximal end of the screw and cradle combination.

Abstract: A disc feeding apparatus comprises a supporting base, a pusher and an electric driving device. The pusher is driven by the electric driving device to back and forth, such that one edge of the disc is protruded out of the first protruding portion of the supporting base, and the other edge of the disc is limited by the avoiding groove of the second protruding portion and will be pushed by the pusher. Thereby, the disc will fall out of the disc feeding apparatus, thus finishing the feeding of the disc. The present invention can use the precise control electric driving device to cooperate with other structures. With the simplified structure design, the present invention can perform the disk feeding operation efficiently and precisely for a long tome.

Abstract: A card dispensing apparatus having a compact configuration has a housing to support a stack of cards on a fixed base. Openings in the base member can permit surfaces from a conveying member to extend into the housing and contact a surface of the lowest card. The conveyer member can move horizontal to a release point and retract beneath the base member to return to an initial position. A movement unit provides a cyclic looping movement of the conveyer member into and out of the housing for transporting cards. A feed unit positioned at the dispensing point of the cards can grasp and release the cards from the card dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: A lottery ticket machine having function of preventing tickets from being illegally drawn out includes a machine base provided thereon with a driving device, two press rollers and a control device. One of the two press rollers is disposed with a shaft extending out of the machine base for assembling the control device, which consists of a rotary gear with engage holes, a bushing and a control wheel bored with a bushing hole to be fitted on the bushing and provided with engage teeth and projecting bars to be respectively engaged with the engage holes of the rotary gear. An outer cover covered on the control device is disposed inside with engage teeth to be correspondingly engaged with the engage teeth of the control wheel, and a spring has its opposite ends respectively pushing against the control wheel and the inner wall of a bushing cover.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispenser, especially for dispensing solid preparations, comprising a housing having a dispensing orifice, and a collar member having a receiving opening, and a passage member, having a receiving chamber, which should be improved in respect to proper dispensing a single unit dose of a substance when required.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to clear a jammed tablet in a medicine feeder upon detection thereof, through improvements on a drive unit so that reverse rotation of a rotor can be achieved without driving a motor in reverse rotating direction, i.e., while the motor is in normal rotation setting. A medicine feeder's drive unit includes a drive motor, a gear transmission device, an output shaft and a switcher. The gear transmission device is constituted by a normal-rotation transmission path and a reverse-rotation transmission path provided between a motor shaft of the drive motor and the output shaft. The switcher selects one of the transmission paths for output of driving power from the drive motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing and dispensing a test strip includes a container configured to store a stack of test strips. The container maintains appropriate environmental conditions, such as humidity, for storing the test strips. An engaging member is disposed in the container and is adapted to contact one test strip of the stack of test strips. An actuator actuates the engaging member to dispense the one test strip from the container. Since one test strip is dispensed at a time, the remaining test strips are not handled by the user. Accordingly, the unused test strips remain free of contaminants such as naturally occurring oils on the user's hand.

Abstract: The apparatus and process of the present invention provides for the automated, singulated dispensing of articles, particularly solid oral medication in predetermined quantities. The apparatus of the invention is a canister which houses a screw having a channel of a certain width and depth that corresponds to the dimensions of a particular pill type. The screw is removably mounted to a cradle and the screw and cradle combination is positioned within the canister so that it is generally parallel to the base of the canister. By virtue of being removably mounted, screws having channels of various dimensions, corresponding to a particular pill to be dispensed, can be substituted into the cradle within canister. A removable shelf is mounted to at least one interior side of the cradle and is positioned near the proximal end of the screw and cradle combination. Like the screw channel, the shelf is of a certain width that corresponds with a certain pill size.

Abstract: An apparatus (15) to aid in locating articles in bags produced by a packaging machine (10). The apparatus (15) includes a reservoir (40) to which the articles are delivered, with a plurality of discharge locations being located at angular spaced positions about the reservoir (40). Each of the discharge locations (24) includes an upwardly facing aperture (25) through which the articles are delivered to a central chute (27) from where the articles are located in the bags being formed. Adjacent each discharge location (24) is a conveyor device (29) that moves angularly so as to take articles from the reservoir (40) to the associated aperture (25).

Abstract: A product discharge and delivery system for a vending machine includes a product delivery cup including a carriage portion and a shroud portion having an open bottom section and a discharge element. After receiving a selected product, the product delivery cup is shifted toward a dispensing chamber causing the discharge element to engage with a discharge member mounted within the vending machine. Engagement of the discharge element and discharge member causes the shroud portion to pivot relative to the carrier portion exposing the open bottom section allowing a selected product to release into a dispensing chamber. A delivery port is mounted in the dispensing chamber that rotated between a product receiving position and a product delivery position.

Abstract: A golf ball dispensing apparatus includes a tube configured to receive at least one golf ball, at least one leg configured to attach to said tube, means for releasing a golf ball from said tube, means for supplying power configured to engage said means for releasing a golf ball, an arm configured to receive a golf ball from said tube wherein said arm is configured to engage said tube at a hinge, and means for sensing motion configured to engage said means for releasing a golf ball.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting, sorting, counting and consolidating an unorganized pool of solid or semi-solid articles such as pills for dispensation. Specifically, the articles are extracted from inside a bin using attraction points on a transport substrate and sorted into containers in finite quantities. The system consists of several components, preferably including a torque source, a counter and a vacuum source, which are uniquely integrated onto a single end-effector to reduce cost and redundancy by servicing several bins. Further, the system presents a method of attracting and carrying pills using negative vacuum pressure, gravity and centrifugal force. This centrifugal force holds articles to the local attraction points and is provided by the spinning of the transport substrate. Pills are collected from the bin or plenum at the local attraction points, counted, cleaved from the local attraction points and guided to a container or vial.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medicine discharge device of an automatic medicine packing machine, which is used to discharge a medicine, fed from a medicine cassette based on a medical prescription, into a medicine packing device. The medicine discharge device includes a medicine input unit installed under a medicine cassette mount to receive the medicine fed from the medicine cassette, a frame provided with a gate unit, the gate unit including gate members to be opened or closed by a drive unit so as to control movement of the medicine discharged from the medicine input unit, a plate installed under the frame and having an accommodation portion to receive the medicine and a recess to allow the medicine to be moved from the gate members to a discharge passage, a vibrator to vibrate the plate, and a medicine transfer unit to discharge the medicine, having passed through the recess, into a hopper.

Abstract: A snap-ring supplying device includes a magazine (10) containing C-shaped snap rings (S) piled together each of which has a gap, an extrusion member (25) that pushes out a snap ring occupying the lowest position in the magazine so that the gap (S1) of the snap ring is directed forwardly in an extruding direction, a conveying path (23) that conveys the snap ring pushed out by the extrusion member to an area in which the snap ring is contracted to reduce the diameter of the snap ring, a projection-strip guide wall (26) formed to stand upwardly in a substantially vertical direction with a width that is defined by forming a pair of concave parts (28) and that can enter the gap of the snap ring in a termination area of the conveying path, and an oscillating member (31) and urging members (32, 33) serving as a restricting mechanism (30) that restricts the gap of the snap ring so that the gap is directed in a direction from the magazine to the projection-strip guide wall.

Abstract: A cutlery utensil dispenser having at least one utensil compartment and a dispensing mechanism is disclosed. Each utensil compartment is so dimensioned and configured to house a stack of utensils. The dispensing mechanism includes a drive member in operable communication with at least one driven member, each driven member being associated with a respective one of the compartments. Actuation of the drive member causes simultaneous actuation of each driven member that causes a utensil to be dispensed from each compartment in repeatable succession one at a time. Also disclosed is a cutlery utensil dispenser having an electric motor in operable communication with the dispensing mechanism, and a controller in operable communication with the motor. The controller includes a processing circuit responsive to computer executable instructions which when executed on the processing circuit facilitates dispensing of a utensil from the utensil compartment by operation of the motor on command.

Abstract: An apparatus for discharging tissue that is folded several times and stacked is provided. The apparatus includes a cartridge that holds stacked tissue and has a through hole at one end, and a holding member that is disposed adjacent to the through hole of the cartridge and pivots on an axis to grasp and remove tissues one at a time from the top of the stack through an arm. The inventive apparatus allows a user to easily replace tissue and check the amount of tissue used and the amount left to use through visual means. The apparatus virtually eliminates the problem of tissue dispensing failure, and has increased precision and reliability and reduced dispensing time over conventional apparatuses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medication delivery device comprising a reminder unit for reminding an individual having a medical diseases to take a medicament. The reminder unit comprises means for providing a reminder signal to the individual having the medical disease, the reminder signal being triggered by data associated with a previously occurred event, the associated data being stored in a storage means. Alternatively, the reminder signal may be triggered by a position signal generated by position determining means adapted to determine the position of the medication delivery device.

Abstract: A device (10) for automatically dispensing and ejecting products (B), includes at least one tray (P) having a series of channels (C), which are separated by a partition (34), stop elements (40), and a series of controlled ejection members, characterized in that each ejection device includes a movable ejection plate which is able to act, directly or indirectly, on the lower face of at least the first front product so that it can be ejected, and an actuator (54) which is associated with each channel (C), which is mechanically connected to the ejection plate and which includes a movable element (60) which is able to be operated between a rest position and a working position for ejection purposes.

Abstract: A medicine supply apparatus which comprises, in a case accommodating section 8, a plurality of tablet cases 3 for accommodating medicine and charges or supplies medicine into a bag 72, which medicine has been discharged from each tablet case 3 based on a prescription. An identification code 26 is provided for each of the tablet cases 3 and read by an optical sensor 33 provided inside the case accommodating section 8, whereby discharge of medicine is controlled. A motor 14 for driving a discharge drum for the tablet case 3 is checked for disconnection by being regularly energized. The operating time and the frequency of operation of parts that wear out, such as the motors, are stored for use in failure prediction. Time slots in which medicine should be taken are printed, each in a different color, by a color printing mechanism 73 on the bag 72 into which medicine is charged.

Abstract: An ice dispenser includes an ice storage bin with a drive shaft aperture and an ice dispensing aperture; an ice dispensing chute connected to the storage bin in proximity to the ice dispensing aperture; a paddlewheel inside the storage bin; and a drive mechanism, including a drive shaft passing through the drive shaft aperture, for rotation of the paddlewheel. The drive shaft is connected to the paddlewheel in such a fashion that the paddlewheel is prevented from disengaging from the drive shaft during normal operation of the ice dispensing apparatus, but the drive shaft can be disengaged from the paddlewheel in order to be able to remove the drive mechanism from the ice dispenser without accessing the ice storage bin. The paddlewheel may be molded plastic, and include a rigid coupler molded into the paddlewheel having first and second axial openings at opposite ends for receiving the drive shaft and the agitator shaft.

Abstract: A dispensing device that can store a plurality of treats and sequentially release a singe treat is provided. The dispensing device includes a housing and a reservoir in the housing for holding treats to be dispensed. A dispenser is moveable from a first position to a second position to sequentially release treats from the reservoir. An actuating mechanism is provided for actuating the dispenser. The dispensing device also includes a receptacle that is accessible from the exterior of the housing. A passageway is provided for treats to travel from the reservoir to the receptacle.

Abstract: A pill-dispensing apparatus for automatically dispensing solid pills includes a plurality of storage units and a pill dispensing module. The storage units store pills in bulk and each include a hopper and an auger movably positioned with respect to the hopper. An inlet of the auger is positioned to receive pills from the hopper. The pill-dispensing module includes: a dock for receiving and holding a selected one of the storage units, a drive unit for rotating the auger to motivate the pills along the auger, a pill counter for counting pills dispensed from an auger outlet, and a lift for tilting the hopper to control flow and to assist in motivating pills to fall from the hopper and move along the auger.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a helical coil dispenser (4) for vending machines, which dispenser comprises a frame (5), a plurality of helical coils (6) mounted on the frame (5) and a plurality of motors (15), each connected to a respective helical coil (6), to determine rotation of the helical coil (6) about a longitudinal axis (X) and moving forward of the goods (P) supported by the helical coil (6). The dispenser (4) further comprises adjusting means (18) interposed between each motor (15) and the frame (5), said adjusting means (18) enabling shifting of the motors (15) along a rear side (12) of the frame (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal axes (X) and locking of said motors (15) onto the frame (5), to allow installation of a different number of motors (15) and helical coils (6) and/or installation of helical coils (6) of different sizes.

Abstract: A device (10) for automatically dispensing and ejecting products (B), includes at least one tray (P) having a series of channels (C), which are separated by a partition (34), stop elements (40) and a series of controlled ejection members, characterized in that each partition is a separation plate (34) which can occupy an active separation position and a retracted position so as to constitute a modular device (10) having an adjustable number of channels (C) of different transverse widths, and in that the device (10) includes elements which are able to supply signals representative of the presence of each separation plate (34) in the active position, these signals being able to be processed by a dispensing control unit associated with the device.

Abstract: To automatically eliminate clogging of tablets, a tablet filling device provides a cassette body including a tablet cassette, having tablets, a rotor having a groove for holding a tablet, and a discharge port for discharging the tablet held by the groove. The cassette body includes a worm gear in mesh with a gear fixed to a shaft of the rotor. A carrying member is adapted to approach the tablet cassette while holding a tablet container. The tablet filling device is equipped with a drive shaft engaged with the worm gear to rotate the rotor via the gear. The tablet container is carried to the tablet cassette by the carrying member and, when a rotation of the rotor stops halfway through dispensing of tablets, the worm gear is moved in the axial direction of the drive shaft of the carrying member to cause the rotor to make a reverse rotation.

Abstract: A disc feeding apparatus comprises a supporting base, a pusher and an electric driving device. The pusher is driven by the electric driving device to back and forth, such that one edge of the disc is protruded out of the first protruding portion of the supporting base, and the other edge of the disc is limited by the avoiding groove of the second protruding portion and will be pushed by the pusher. Thereby, the disc will fall out of the disc feeding apparatus, thus finishing the feeding of the disc. The present invention can use the precise control electric driving device to cooperate with other structures. With the simplified structure design, the present invention can perform the disk feeding operation efficiently and precisely for a long tome.

Abstract: A device for singulating open-ended objects includes: a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended objects, the housing having an open lower end; an outer ring positioned below the housing; a drum positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall and a plurality of wings that extend radially outwardly from the wall to contact the outer ring, the hub, wings and outer ring forming a plurality of gaps; a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing; and a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum about an axis of rotation. The presence of the wings can enable the device to singulated caps more consistently.

Abstract: A multi-channel separation mechanism assembly for a lottery or other ticket dispensing machine includes a separate detachable feed mechanism associated with each separate feed channel, such that the feed mechanism for a single channel can be removed and replaced without replacing the entire assembly. Each such detachable feed mechanism includes a compact transmission wherein drive is efficiently transferred from a vertically-oriented feed motor to horizontally-oriented feed rollers. Each feed channel is additionally equipped with a bidirectional mechanical flag which triggers an optical sensor to detect presence of a ticket strip in the channel while still allowing appropriate reverse motion of the ticket strip within the associated channel.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for dispensing products that includes a theft deterrent retail product dispensing hook. In certain embodiments, the hook prevents product “sweeping” (where a thief quickly empties a conventional retail hook of product) and also delivers a time-delayed delivery of product per hook. A specific embodiment of a time-delay display hook system comprises a two-prong system having an upper member and a lower member, with the upper member supporting a dispensing system and the lower member supporting a product to be dispensed. Upon triggering of an activation member, the dispensing system releases a single product and provides a time-delay between dispensing of further product.

Abstract: An automatic tube-type specimen container supply apparatus includes a container storing box a bottom of which has a tapered surface having a container collecting position in a lowest part thereof to collect a plurality of tube-type specimen containers in one spot, a container individually-sending mechanism which lifts up the collected specimen containers one by one along one-side wall located close to the position, an outlet which allows the specimen containers to be discharged outside the box, and a container carry-out mechanism including a conveyor to automatically carry out the discharged specimen containers. The container individually-sending mechanism includes a lifting plate driven up and down and having a top end with a tapered surface. The tapered surface has a space to place only one specimen container lying on a side thereof and descending toward an outside of the container storing box.

Abstract: A tablet filling device to convey a vial to a tablet cassette for receiving tablets easily and reliably. The tablet filling device includes: a detachable tablet feeding unit including a plurality of tablet feeders capable of discharging tablets one by one and arranged horizontally and vertically; and an arm unit that carries an empty vial, fills the vial with tablets discharged from a tablet feeder of the tablet feeding unit, and carries the vial filled with the tablets. The arm unit includes: a perpendicularly moving base movable horizontally and vertically along a horizontal rail and a vertical rail, respectively, the rails provided in directions in which the tablet feeders of the tablet feeding unit are arranged; an arm base on the perpendicularly moving base to be slidable in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the horizontal rail and horizontally rotatable; and an arm, on the arm base, capable of holding the vial.

Abstract: An ice dispensing apparatus and a refrigerator having the ice dispensing apparatus are provided. The ice dispensing apparatus includes a case provided with an ice inlet and an ice outlet, a conveying unit that is provided on a first side of the case to convey and discharge ice cubes through the ice outlet, an ice-crushing unit that is provided on a second side of the case to crush the ice cubes into ice pieces and discharge the crushed ice pieces through the ice outlet, and an ice delivery unit for delivering the ice cubes input through an input portion to the conveying unit or the ice-crushing unit.

Abstract: An automatic dispensing tip supply apparatus includes a tip storing box whose bottom has a tapered surface having a tip collecting position in a lowermost part thereof to collect a plurality of inserted dispensing tips in one spot, a tip individually-sending mechanism which lifts up the collected dispensing tips one by one, an outlet to discharge the lifted dispensing tips from the tip storing box, a door mechanism including a door which is turnably supported to close the tip storing box from outside and a tip holding section which is provided on the inside of the door to horizontally hold one of the lifted dispensing tips, and a tip carry-out mechanism including a carry-out conveyor to automatically carry the dispensing tips.

Abstract: A table tennis ball delivery device adapted to be secured to or adjacent the side of a table tennis table for directing a ball to a player upon the activation of a switch by the player. The device includes a chamber for carrying a supply of table tennis balls, a ball transfer mechanism for selectively advancing an individual ball from the chamber to a location over a flexed or cocked delivery spring oriented such that upon activation of the switch by a player, the spring is released so as to strike a ball and launch the ball to the player. The ball transfer mechanism is coordinated with the spring cocking and release mechanism so as to position another ball over the delivery spring and re-cock the spring immediately upon the launching of the ball to the player.

Abstract: A tablet feed having a drive transmission composed of a drive gear 7 that is interlocked with the rotating shaft of a motor 6, a driven gear 13 that is interlocked with a rotor 9, and an intermediate gear 14 made up of a first gear section 15 that gears with the drive gear 7 and a second gear section 16 that gears with the driven gear 13. At least a gear ratio of the second gear section 16 to the first gear section 15 of the intermediate gear 14 is made small so as to prevent tablets in other pocket sections 10 adjacent to a pocket section 10 open to a discharge port 11 from falling from the discharge port 11 when a tablet housing case 4 is detached from a case support base 3. This makes it possible to prevent tablets from falling down when the tablet housing case is detached from the case support base.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment proof of delivery system for use with a solid product dispenser includes an outlet conduit and a sensor mechanism. The outlet conduit is light transmissive and includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface is exposed to humid conditions. The sensor mechanism is proximate the exterior surface of the outlet conduit, and the sensor mechanism senses delivery of a solid product through the outlet conduit. The outlet conduit provides a barrier to the humid conditions thereby protecting the sensor mechanism from exposure to the humid conditions.

Abstract: A tablet feeder that is simple in construction and yet capable of accurately preventing drawbacks from occurring due to jamming of medicine or the like. A motor (6) installed on a case support block (3) is driven to rotate a rotor (9) disposed in a medicine receiving case (1) through a plurality of gears. The tablets received in the medicine receiving case (1) are held in the pockets (10) of the rotor (9) and are moved to a discharge section (11) to discharge tablets therefrom. The gearing is composed of a driving gear (7) connected to the rotary shaft of the motor (6), and a driven gear (13) meshing with the driving gear (7). Installed in either of the power transmission paths extending from the motor (6) to the rotor (9) through the two gears (7, 13) is a power cut-off section (15, 17) that cuts off the power from the motor (6) when a force of a predetermined value or above acts on the rotor (9).

Abstract: A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and to perform a test using one of the sensors. The sensor dispensing instrument includes an outer housing and a disk drive mechanism contained therein for rotating the sensor pack and ejecting one of the sensors from the sensor pack and through a sensor opening on the housing. The disk drive mechanism of the sensor dispensing instrument is operated by pressing a button which activates a motor. The motor moves a disk drive pusher in a first direction to rotate the sensor pack, and then moves the disk drive pusher in a second direction to eject a sensor from the sensor cavity and through the sensor opening.

Abstract: A medication filling apparatus for filling a predetermined container with medications, such as tablets, provide improved assemblability and maintainability, and permits safe and reliable filling operations, while maintaining a compact size. The medication filling apparatus is equipped with a plurality of tablet cases for accommodating medications of respective types, a plurality of hoppers provided side by side below the respective tablet cases in a corresponding manner to receive the medications dispensed therefrom, and charging means for guiding the medications dispensed from a dispensing port formed at the bottommost portion of each hopper to a predetermined container and for charging them, and is further equipped with retaining members on which the hoppers are hung, wherein the hoppers are detachably installed to the retaining members.