Abstract: A filling station for filling a feeder unit with discrete medicaments includes a base and a holder that is positionable in one or more inclined orientations relative to said base for holding the feeder unit in said one or more inclined orientations. A method for filling a feeder unit with discrete medicaments includes the step of filling the feeder unit with the discrete medicaments when the feeder unit is held by the holder in one of the one or more inclined orientations.

Abstract: A bead-apex stitching device, a bead-apex station and a method for stitching an apex to a bead are disclosed, wherein the bead-apex stitching device includes a first set of first stitching members distributed in a circumferential direction about a central axis for stitching the apex to the bead and a second set of second stitching members for stitching the apex to the bead in a manner different from the first stitching members of the first set, wherein the second stitching members of the second set are distributed in an alternating pattern with the first stitching members of the first set in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a festooner and a method for buffering a strip, the festooner having a first set of buffer rollers and a second set of buffer rollers, wherein the first set of buffer rollers and the second set of buffer rollers define a meandering first buffer path between them, wherein the festooner further includes a first endless drive element for driving the first set of buffer rollers and the second set of buffer rollers. The festooner further includes a third set of buffer rollers and a fourth set of buffer rollers coaxial to the first set of buffer rollers and the second set of buffer rollers, respectively, defining a meandering second buffer path between them. The festooner further includes a second endless drive element for driving the third set of buffer rollers and the fourth set of buffer rollers.

Abstract: A tire building method, in particular for strip-winding, includes the step of: providing a choice between a production mode for building a tire component and a test mode for obtaining test measurements, wherein the choice is provided prior to executing the test mode; wherein at least one or more building parameters is set prior to the building of the tire component based on test measurements performed on a test strip during the test mode. Also disclosed is a tyre building system and a measurement tool.

Abstract: The invention relates to a calibration tool and a method for calibrating a laser-triangulation measuring system, wherein the calibration tool comprises a tool body that defines a reference plane and that is rotatable relative to the measuring system about a rotation axis perpendicular to said reference plane, wherein the tool body is provided with one or more calibration surfaces that define a pattern of calibration positions, wherein the pattern comprises at least three columns extending in a radial direction away from the rotation axis and at least three rows extending in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein for each column the calibration positions within said respective column vary in height relative to the reference plane in a height direction perpendicular to said reference plane and wherein for each row the calibration positions within the respective row vary in height in the height direction relative to the reference plane.

Abstract: A method, a computer program product and a dispensing device for dispensing discrete medicaments, wherein the dispensing device comprises a dispensing section, a collection section and a packaging section, wherein the dispensing section defines an array of feeder positions for holding a plurality of feeder units, wherein the collection section comprises a first collection unit that is movable in a collection direction, wherein the method comprises the steps of: positioning a first feeder unit at a first feeder position; and prior to removing the first feeder unit from the first feeder position, positioning a second feeder unit at a second feeder position, downstream from the first feeder position in the collection direction, wherein the first feeder unit and the second feeder unit hold medicaments of the same first composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hopper, an outlet valve, a dispensing device and a method for collecting and dispensing discrete medicaments, wherein the hopper comprises a hopper inlet, a hopper outlet and an outlet valve in the hopper outlet that is movable between a closed position in which the outlet valve blocks passage of the discrete medicaments out of the hopper through the hopper outlet and an open position in which the outlet valve allows passage of the discrete medicaments out of the hopper through the hopper outlet in a drop direction, wherein the outlet valve has a valve body that defines a holding surface at a side of the valve body that supports the discrete medicaments in the hopper outlet when the outlet valve is in the closed position, wherein said holding surface has a cross section for receiving the discrete medicaments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for step dispensing discrete medicaments from a feeder unit, wherein the feeder unit comprises a container holding said medicaments, and a dispensing mechanism, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a singulating body with a plurality of singulation chambers; and a first release member arranged below the singulating body and provided with a release opening, wherein the first release member and the singulating body are movable with respect to each other, the method comprising the steps of: moving the singulating body and the first release member relative to each other; when the singulating body is in the aligned position, stopping relative movement between the singulating body and the first release member; maintaining the singulating body stationary for a predetermined waiting period to allow any medicaments accommodated in the aligned singulation chamber to fall through the release opening.

Abstract: A method for packaging discrete medicaments in pouches in a packaging device configured to form and fill the pouches in an elongated web, the method comprising the following steps: transporting the elongated web along a web trajectory, printing information on the elongated web related to the discrete medicaments that are fed to the elongated web at the position of the printed information on the elongated web, feeding the discrete medicaments to the elongated web at the position on the elongated web of the related printed information, inspecting the elongated web to determine whether there is a fault related to the elongated web, and in response to a fault being detected, printing a fault indication or a fault symbol on the elongated web, and forming an empty pouch at the position of the fault indication or fault symbol.

Abstract: A stitching roller is provided for stitching a strip, in particular a continuous strip for strip-winding. The stitching roller includes a roller body that is rotatable about a roller axis. The roller body comprises a circumferential member and a support member provided with a connection end that is connected to the circumferential member and a base end for coupling of the stitching roller to a rotation shaft. The support member is made of a flexible material that allows for the circumferential member to tilt relative to the base end from a neutral orientation into a tilted orientation. The support member includes one or more reinforcements that reinforce the axial stiffness of the support member from the outer radius towards the inner radius.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transport device, an applicator and a method for transporting a tire component in a transport direction. The transport device includes at least three conveyors extending mutually parallel in the transport direction and side-by-side in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction to form a combined conveying surface for conveying the tire component in the transport direction, wherein the at least three conveyors include an intermediate conveyor, a first side conveyor on a first side of the intermediate conveyor in the lateral direction and a second side conveyor on a second side of the intermediate conveyor in the lateral direction, opposite to the first side, wherein the intermediate conveyor, the first side conveyor and the second side conveyor are movable at different speeds with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the transport direction.

Abstract: A method for dispensing discrete medicaments with a dispensing device includes the steps of predicting a depletion time in the future when the medicaments in the container of a first feeder unit of the plurality of feeder units will be depleted or are past their expiry date; providing a notification ahead of said depletion time that a second feeder unit holding medicaments with the same composition as the first feeder unit needs to be presented to the dispensing device, together with a due time for presenting said second feeder unit to the dispensing device; and continuing the dispensing of the medicaments from the first feeder unit at least until the due time.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sheet, a pouch containing pills made of a sheet material and a web of multiple of said pouches. The disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing said web which makes use of said sheet. The pouches allow for optimal visibility of information printed on the pouches as well as optimal visibility of the pills for inspection purposes.

Abstract: A method for dispensing discrete medicaments with a first feeder unit includes the steps of determining a remaining value indicative of the amount of the medicaments remaining in the container; comparing said remaining value to a threshold value; making a selection between a complete empty detection mode when said remaining value is above the threshold value and a shortened empty detection mode when the remaining value is below the threshold value; and executing the selected one of the complete empty detection mode and the shortened empty detection mode when no medicament is fed from the container towards the outlet after controlling the dispensing mechanism to feed a medicament from the container into the outlet.

Abstract: A method for loading a medicine transport plate with one or more medicine items using a docking station includes the steps of moving a preparation release mechanism of a docking station into a preparation holding state; inserting the one or more medicine items into one or more preparation compartments in the docking station; loading the medicine transport plate into the docking station; and moving the preparation release mechanism from the preparation holding state into a preparation release state to release the one or more medicine items from the preparation compartments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device and a method for determining rheological properties of a viscous, polymeric mass, wherein the measuring device comprises a rheometer with a container containing the mass and a rotation element that is positionable inside the container, wherein the measuring device provides a relative between the rotation element and the container about an rotation axis that defines an axial direction parallel to the rotation axis and a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, wherein the measuring device comprises one or more normal force sensors for detecting at least a component of the normal force that is exerted onto the container or the rotation element in the axial direction and a radial force sensor for detecting a radial force exerted onto the container in the radial direction.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for pest control, and more particularly for control of ants, e.g., of the subfamily Myrmicinae, using tyramides.

Abstract: Container assembly for collecting pads, such as cosmetic pads or medical pads, wherein the container assembly comprises an elongate shell extending along a collecting axis parallel to a stacking direction and in a circumferential direction about the collecting axis, wherein the shell comprises a top side, a bottom side opposite to said top side in the stacking direction, wherein the shell is open at said top side for receiving the pads in said stacking direction and along said collecting axis, wherein the shell comprises a first shell segment and a second shell segment extending along said collecting axis between the top side and the bottom side and movable relative to one another in a clamping direction transverse to the stacking direction, wherein the second shell segment is biased relative to and towards the first shell segment in said clamping direction.

Abstract: A bead retaining member includes a body having a concave first concave edge and one or more retaining elements which are distributed over the body along said first concave edge for retaining a first bead of a first size along a first retaining curve having a first retaining radius and for retaining a second bead of a second size along a second retaining curve having a second retaining radius larger than the first retaining radius. The first retaining curve intersects with the second retaining curve at a first intersection point and a second intersection point. The first concave edge is non-circular and is located radially outside of the second retaining curve in a center region of the first concave edge between the first intersection point and the second intersection point and radially outside of the first retaining curve in a first lateral region and a second lateral region.