Abstract: A gripper for a picking device for small piece goods is provided. The gripper includes a delivery table extending in a first horizontal direction and a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, a gripping jaw guide assembly having two gripping jaws extending in the first horizontal direction over the delivery table, wherein at least one of the gripping jaws is movable in the second horizontal direction, and a drive unit which is coupled to the gripping jaw guide assembly and configured to move the gripping jaw guide assembly in the first horizontal direction. At least one of the gripping jaws is configured as a suction jaw and has a suction device having a suction surface for suctioning a small piece good, wherein a vacuum can be applied on the suction device using a suction line.

Abstract: A system for dispensing and packaging drug portions includes one or more storage containers, the one or more storage containers each including a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions and a singulating device disposed at least partially within the housing for singulating and dispensing the drug portions contained within the receiving chamber, the singulating device having an electrically conductive outer surface. The system also includes a blister packaging machine for packaging drug portions dispensed from the one or more storage containers, wherein a conductor device is provided, the conductor device providing an electrically conductive coupling between the singulating device outer surface and a contact configured to dissipate an electrical charge.

Abstract: An automatic picking machine for pharmaceutical drug packages includes at least one storage rack, at least one storage and retrieval machine, a control apparatus for controlling the storage and retrieval machine, and a filling apparatus for successively filling each of a plurality of transport containers with a group of pharmaceutical drug packages corresponding to one order, wherein the filling apparatus includes a plurality of collection containers, first transport apparatuses, each having a transport channel for conveying the pharmaceutical drug packages towards the respective collection container, and a receiving apparatus for receiving a transport container to be filled at a filling location of the filing apparatus.

Abstract: Picking devices for operating a picking devices for medicaments are provided. A picking device includes multiple storage spaces for medicament packaging, an operating device movable horizontally in an X-direction and vertically in a Z-direction in front of the storage spaces in a movement space, and an identification device configured for identifying medicament packaging. An optical detection device is configured to create an overall image of the movement space and a control device is coupled to the operating device, the identification device and the optical detection device, wherein the control device is configured to determine the presence of an obstacle in a portion of the movement space and to control the operating device based on the determined presence of the obstacle. Methods of operating picking devices for medicaments are also provided.

Abstract: A gripper for a transport system of a picking device having horizontal storage surfaces for storing and dispensing small piece goods of different shapes and/or surface properties is provided. The gripper comprises a drop table extending in first and a second horizontal directions and having a storage and dispensing end face. Two elongated gripping jaws are arranged above the drop table extending in the first horizontal direction, and are fastened to a gripping jaw guide arrangement. At least one of the gripping jaws is movable in the second horizontal direction and at least one of the gripping jaws has a gripper coupler in its end portion facing away from the gripping jaw guide arrangement, and at least one transport attachment with an attachment coupler. The gripper and attachment couplers interact so that a transport attachment is releasably fixed at an end portion of a gripping jaw.

Abstract: Grippers for a picking device for drug packages and methods for operating the picking device are provided. The gripper has a tray having an end portion with an arcuate front, the end portion forming a loading and unloading front. The gripper further includes a transport device arranged above the tray and configured for moving drug packages from a storage surface onto the tray, and at least one sensor arranged in the end portion of the tray and configured to determine a presence of a drug package in a detection area of the at least one sensor.

Abstract: A method for providing a singling device of a storage and dispensing container for drug portions is provided. A singling device is adapted to a specific drug portion based on the measurement of the drug portion. The measurement is obtained by generating at least one image of a to-be-measured drug portion by a detection device and using image analysis to process the at least one image. Drug information for the specific drug portion is determined, the drug information including at least the dimensions of the specific drug portion. Based on the determined drug information, a singling device fitting the drug portion to be singularized is identified and provided for use in the storage and dispensing container. A system for identifying a singling device is also provided.

Abstract: A gripper for a picking device for storing small piece goods and a method for operating a picking device having a gripper are provided. The gripper simplifies dispensing and includes a drop table extending in first and second horizontal directions, and has at least one end portion having a dispensing end face, wherein the drop table and the end portion define an upper support surface. A transport device for moving small piece goods is arranged above the drop table and sensor device(s) are arranged in the at least one end portion having detection regions associated therewith, the sensor device being arranged along a vertical axis in such a way that the detection regions cover a vertically extending space in front of the dispensing end face.

Abstract: A picking device for storing bottles and a corresponding method are provided. The picking device includes a plurality of storage locations for bottles, an operating device having a gripper, at least one storing device, at least one identification device and an unloading device. The storage locations have storage location receptacles and the storing device has at least one storing receptacle for bottles, wherein the storage location receptacles and the storing receptacle are configured such that the bottles are held therein in such a way that they are protected against rolling. The gripper includes a gripping member configured such that the bottles are movable from the storing receptacles and storage location receptacles by being lifted by the gripping member or by being pulled to a holding area of the gripper.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for small piece goods, the use of the packaging apparatus, and a method for producing a blister tube are provided. The packaging apparatus includes a packaging material guiding device for providing a shaped packaging material web suitable for receiving small piece goods, a longitudinal joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device and a transverse joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device. The transverse joining device joins the shaped packaging material web together at predetermined intervals transversely to the direction of travel to form a transverse joining area. The transverse joining device includes two joiners, a first joiner having a plurality of embossers that are individually movable transversely to the direction of travel and are arranged so that they can be extended from the first joiner and retracted into the first joiner.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for small piece goods, in particular drugs or dietary supplement products, is provided. The storage container includes a housing with an on the inside circular cylindrical section, a separating device arranged in the on the inside circular cylindrical section including a base body and multiple channels, the channels being open to the outer periphery of the separating device and each channel having a peripheral wall and two radial walls, and a retainer. At least one radial wall and/or the peripheral wall includes a depression and/or an elevation to reduce a contact area between a small piece good and the channel wall, the shape and size of the depression/elevation being selected in such a way that an electrostatic attraction between the small piece good and the channel wall is reduced.

Abstract: Devices for separating piece goods such as pharmaceutical product packages to be stored in a picking device are provided. The device includes a feed device for piece goods, a recording device for recording 3D images of piece goods, a control device for evaluating 3D images and for determining a piece good to be picked, a conveyor for picking a piece good, a deposit surface, and a lateral recording device. The control device is configured so that the orientation of the picked piece good is ascertained and the preferred storage surface is established and that the conveyor is activated in such a way that a picked piece good is situated on a preferred storage surface on the deposit surface. Methods of separating piece goods to be stored in a picking device are also provided.

Abstract: An operating device for placing or retrieving bottle-like piece goods onto or from storage places of a picking device is provided. The operating device includes a gripping jaw assembly having two profile-rod shaped gripping jaws with opposite lying inner surfaces extending in a first horizontal direction corresponding to a direction for placing and retrieving piece goods. The gripping jaws are configured so that the distance of the inner surfaces from each other tapers in the downward direction at least in sections and the bottle-like piece goods can be lifted from below. The operating device also includes an actuation unit coupled to the gripping jaw assembly for moving the gripping jaw assembly in the first horizontal direction.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for small piece goods, in particular drugs or dietary supplement products, is provided. The storage container includes a housing having a circular cylindrical section, a separating device having a plurality of channels and a base area arranged in the circular cylindrical section of the housing, as well as a retainer. The base area of the separating device is provided with a plurality of depressions and/or elevations, at least in sections, to reduce a possible contact area between the base area and small piece good, the shape and size that is selected in such a way that an electrostatic attraction between small piece goods and the base area is reduced.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for drugs or dietary supplement products is provided. The storage container has a separating device including a plurality of channels and a retainer for preventing drugs from slipping into a channel aligned with a dispensing opening. The separating device includes an annular groove and the retainer includes a positioner that engages in the annular groove of the separating device and fixes the retainer vertically. The retainer also includes a retaining section and a holder. The holder secures the retainer against a concurrent rotation with the separating device and aligns the retaining section with the dispensing opening by the holder interacting with a circular cylindrical section of the housing.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for drugs is provided. The storage container includes a housing surrounding a holding space which housing has a guide section and a bottom surface, the guide section defining a guide space and having a vertical guide recess, which does not penetrate the housing, and the bottom surface having a dispensing opening. The storage container includes a separating device having at least one channel for holding at least one drug portion and comprises a retaining element having a retaining section and having a guide element, which is arranged in the guide recess, the vertical guide recess and the guide element interacting in such a way that the retaining element is arranged for height adjustment in the guide recess by means of the guide element and rotational motion of the retaining means is prevented.

Abstract: Methods for measuring and verifying drug portions while avoiding the need to teach verification devices is provided. Characteristic key data of a drug type are compiled with a calibrated camera of a measuring device, stored in a storage device, and retrieved from or transmitted to a verification device. Individual key data for a drug portion to be verified are compiled using a calibrated camera of the verification device and compared with the characteristic key data. A digital image of a drug portion to be verified is generated with a calibrated camera and transferred to a control unit. The control unit determines individual key data for the drug portion to be verified using known calibration parameters of the camera and the digital image, compares the individual key data with characteristic key data of the corresponding drug type and verifies or rejects the drug portion based on the results of the comparison. Systems and computer readable medium are also provided.

Abstract: A storage and dispensing station for a blister packaging machine for drug portions includes a base electrically coupled to the blister packaging machine and configured to dissipate an electrical charge to the blister packaging machine. A storage container is disposed on the base and includes a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions, a cylindrical receiving chamber and a bottom surface. A singulating device is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical receiving chamber and has multiple channels extending along the singulating device and parallel with a rotational axis of the singulating device. The singulating device also includes an electrically conductive coupling and a drive for rotating the singulating device. The singulating device is electrically conductive at least at an outer surface of the singulating device, and the outer surface comes into contact with drug portions. A conductor device provides an electrically conductive coupling between the outer surface and an electrical contact.

Abstract: A storage and dispensing station for drugs is provided. The storage and dispensing station includes a receiving space for drug portions, the receiving space having a feed section with a base section and a dispensing opening, an ejection device for moving a drug portion through the dispensing opening, the ejection device having a slide which can be moved in the feed section towards the dispensing opening and a slide drive coupled to the slide for moving the slide, as well as a lock which can be moved in the feed section and which can be moved in the feed section such that when a drug portion is moved towards the dispensing opening, movement of drug portions in the feed section is prevented.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for small piece goods, the use of the packaging apparatus, and a method for producing a blister tube are provided. The packaging apparatus includes a packaging material guiding device for providing a shaped packaging material web suitable for receiving small piece goods, a longitudinal joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device and a transverse joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device. The transverse joining device joins the shaped packaging material web together at predetermined intervals transversely to the direction of travel to form a transverse joining area. The transverse joining device includes two joiners, which have a plurality of embossers that are individually movable transversely to the direction of travel and have an embosser stop area which cooperate such that elevations that are palpable are formed by the embossers in the transverse joining area.