Abstract: A system for sorting and packaging products, chosen from the group consisting of eggs and fruit (10), the system comprising: —a sorting machine with at least one single sorting track (1) with carriers; —at least one sensor for determining at least one characteristic of each product (10); —the control being adapted to classify a said product in accordance with the at least one characteristic; —a plurality of packaging conveyors (2) for supplying and discharging packaging units, such as boxes, crates or trays, crossing the sorting track and extending above the sorting track; —wherein adjacent each packaging conveyor a transferring device (3) is provided at the level of or higher than the packaging conveyor, arranged for taking over a said product from a carrier and for placing the product from above into a packaging unit (20) on the corresponding packaging conveyor.

Abstract: Gloves and dispensers for gloves are generally discussed herein with particular discussions extended to disposable gloves packaged in a disposable dispenser configured to engage with a carrier. Aspects of the glove assemblies provided herein include a dispenser case having a flange having locking tab for sliding engagement with a channel on the carrier. The dispenser case may be removed from the carrier and a new dispenser case engaged to the carrier.

Abstract: An open configuration is provided for the housing of a particulate material dedusting apparatus through which particulate material passes to be cleaned by air passing through wash decks to separate dirt and debris from the particulate material for discharge from the housing. The front wall and side access doors of the housing are configured to be openable for full access to the front and rear chambers. The primary wash deck is detachably mounted within the housing for removal for cleaning purposes. The generally horizontal floors of the housing are formed with a slope to allow water to drain from the housing. The open configuration of the deduster housing facilitates cleaning, draining and drying of the housing to expedite changeover from one material to another. Furthermore, the open configuration allows access for improved welding to eliminate cracks and openings in joints which accumulate dirt and debris during operation.

Abstract: In a gravity-feed towel dispenser for dispensing C-fold and interfolded towels having a transverse length, L, through an elongated bottom dispensing aperture having a length of L or greater, an adapter plate for securing to the bottom portion of the towel dispenser is configured to abridge the length of the dispensing aperture to a length, L? of from about 80 percent to about 90 percent of the transverse length L of the interfolded towels. In a preferred embodiment the adapter plate is provided with a pair of upwardly inclined terminal portions projecting laterally and upwardly at each end of the adapter plate.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for dispensing cards and other items. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least first and second card hoppers and a movable card carriage. The card carriage is movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position proximate to the second card hopper. The card carriage is configured to receive a first card from the first card hopper when in the first position and a second card from the second card hopper when in the second position. In one aspect of this embodiment, the card carriage can dispense at least the first card into a card outlet chute when the first card has been sufficiently read by a card reader. Alternatively, the card carriage can dispense the first card into a card escrow chute when the first card has not been sufficiently read by the card reader.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser includes an electronic control system for controlling beverage dispenser components. The beverage dispenser components include at least a user interface, a dispensing valve, and a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system includes a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system further includes a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture for controlling the microcontroller. The state machine system architecture supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system. The firmware includes supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware.

Abstract: A system for accurately determining whether a work piece such as a plastic molded bottle cap is defective from quality norms and removing those defective pieces from a stream of work pieces includes a feed conveyor for serially delivering work pieces where adjacent work pieces are in contact with each other. The feed conveyor delivers these work pieces onto an inspection conveyor with a plurality of air holes. Air is forced through the air holes to impinge upon the work piece and thus rapidly accelerate them away from the adjacent work piece it was in contact with and move through an inspection station. An air blower provides pressurized air through the air holes to continue accelerating and separating the work pieces as they move. The inspection station includes a camera to image each work piece. The camera communicates these images to a processing unit such as a computer that can rapidly compare the image to a set of quality control standards each work piece should meet.

Abstract: A sorting process for used friction elements such as friction discs is provided, including determining whether the friction elements are heat compromised based at least in part on a wave scattering property of at least one frictionally interactive face of each of the used friction elements. Suitable friction elements may be sorted into an acceptable category, and unsuitable friction elements sorted into a scrap category. A method of assembling a machine system such as a transmission includes determining suitability of a friction element for service therein by measuring a wave scattering property such as reflectivity of at least one frictionally interactive face of the friction element, and coupling the friction element with the same or a different machine system for returning to service therein based at least in part on the determination of suitability.

Abstract: A device for the separation of waste materials in accordance with their densities is provided and includes a vat which is fillable with a fluid for the separation of detritus by means of floatation and decantation. Conveyer belts are provided for the removal of the supernatant and decanted materials. A vibrating sieve is provided for the pre-separation of debris prior to introduction into the vat. The vibrating sieve extracts large materials and small materials which tend to produce silt in the vat. Means are provided for the removal of the decanted sludge.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing the process of segregating undesired mail using an incoming mail sorter are described and in certain examples, systems including those for using information feed-forward and/or feedback systems for making selective physical delivery decisions in the process of sorting and delivering incoming physical mail are described.

Abstract: A storage tray for storing mail items in the sorting outlets of a mail sorting machine having a carousel with buckets that hold mail items and move in a transport direction such that the mail items describe an arcuate path when released from the buckets. The storage tray includes a bottom surrounded by side walls defining a horizontal top portion of the tray and a horizontal bottom portion of the tray, wherein the bottom of the tray includes a landing wall and a jogging wall intersecting in the bottom portion of the tray, the landing wall extending from the jogging wall in a first direction towards the top portion of the tray at an angle relative to the horizontal bottom portion of the tray, and the jogging wall extending away from the landing wall in a second direction along a generally arcuate curved path toward the top portion of the tray. The shape of the jogging wall preferably corresponds generally to the path of a mail item released from a bucket carousel of a sorting machine.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program code for the programming of motion control in load transportation systems are provided which may include programming motion control by specifying desired load motions.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application software. In one embodiment, a mail processing device uses the sorter application software to communicate with an identification code server. In this embodiment, different types of mail processing devices can use the common sorter application software to communicate with the same or different identification code servers.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and dispensing medical items includes a plurality of hook registers (10). Each of the hook registers includes sensors (48, 60, 62, 64) sensing the removal or addition of a medical item to the storage location on the hook register. Each hook register has a microprocessor (66) connected to the sensor which stores a count of the items added or removed from the location. The microprocessor also includes location identifying information specifically associated with the particular hook register. The microprocessor is periodically polled by a controller (72) which reads and stores the count and location identifying information from each of the hook registers. The controller information is periodically read by a data terminal (76) which is connected through a local area network (82) to a remote computer (84) having a processor and data store.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pneumatic tube systems generally. More specifically, it relates to an automated system for the storage and distribution of empty carriers for a pneumatic tube system. The system comprises an easy to use one-touch process and includes the following apparatus: storage cabinets and pneumatic tube system comprising a blower, controller, retrieval cabinets, and main station. According to the invention there is provided an automated storage and distribution system comprising a pneumatic tube system, a first diverter with blower, and a storage cabinet with a second diverter. The system comprises several methods which are currently in the market place, and is useful in many places, such as hospitals, where the automated processing of pharmaceutical products via robot devices is used. Such a system is disclosed in co-pending application Parenteral Products Automation System (PPAS), application Ser. No. 08/513,569.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application software. In one embodiment, a mail processing device uses the sorter application software to communicate with an identification code server. In this embodiment, different types of mail processing devices can use the common sorter application software to communicate with the same or different identification code servers.

Abstract: A device for dispensing products senses when the respective products are accessed. A signal indicative of day and time of access can be transmitted to a remote monitoring station. Received signals can be compared to a pre-established schedule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cashless transaction processing system implementing a VEND ASSIST mode of operation to effectuate a cashless vending transaction. The VEND ASSIST mode allows a computing platform 802 to oversee, control, and authorize by way of a system 500 the vend selection and sale price of a user selected vend item prior to fulfilling the user's request. The cashless transaction processing system includes a system 500 and a computing platform 802. The system 500 initiates a vending session when certain commands from an interconnected computing platform 802 are received or in response to presentation, by a user, of valid payment identification data. Computing platform 802 data communicates a VEND APPROVE or VEND DENY response to a system 500 initiated REQUEST VEND APPROVE data communication. A vend cycle is then initiated or preempted as appropriate.

Abstract: A medical item inventory system includes a plurality of different types of stored medical items. The system includes medical item dispenser devices which can be selectively operated to dispense requested medical items to authorized users. The system can monitor the medical item inventory to automatically determine a low supply of a particular medical item type. In response to a determination of a low supply of a particular medical item type, the system automatically electronically places a purchase order to a supplier of the particular medical item type. The purchase order includes the particular medical item type, a requested quantity, and a requested delivery date. The requested quantity and delivery date can both be calculated by the system based on a rate of use of the particular medical item type.

Abstract: A bun dispensing device for a hot dog dispensing machine operative for dispensing buns from a bun containing element which includes a plurality of individual bun containers and a common film to which the bun containers are releasably attached one after the other, the device has a unit for pulling the bun containing element, a unit for separating the bun containers with buns accommodated therein from the film of the bun containing element and located upstream of the pulling a unit, and a unit for guiding the bun containing element and located upstream of the separating unit, the separating unit being formed so that each of the bun containers with the bun accommodated therein is individually separated from the film under the action of the separating unit.