Abstract: Disc dispensing device for dispensing discs impregnated with antibiotics onto a culture dish. The device comprises a stationary support on which a magazine is removably mounted. The magazine holds a plurality of tubular containers each containing a stack of discs to be dispensed. A moving means moves one disc from a bottom end of a tubular container to a pick-up position. From the pick-up position a transfer means picks up said one disc and transfers it to the culture dish where it is dispensed. The removable culture dish is supported by a moveable carriage which is mounted on the stationary support. The carriage is moveable relative to the magazine from a starting position to an operating position and vice versa. Control means control the operation of the device. The plurality of tubular containers is rotatable around a magazine centre under control of the control means.

Abstract: A medicament delivery device includes a housing, a medicament container disposed within the housing, an activation mechanism, a cover and an electronic circuit system. The activation mechanism includes an energy storage member configured to produce a force to deliver the dose of a medicament and/or vaccine. The cover is configured to receive at least a portion of the housing. The electronic circuit system is coupled to the housing such that a protrusion of the cover electrically isolates a battery from a portion of the electronic circuit system when the portion of the housing is received by the cover. The electronic circuit system is configured to be electrically coupled to the battery and to produce a recorded speech output when the portion of the housing is at least partially removed from the cover. The electronic circuit system configured to produce a signal when the activation mechanism is actuated.

Abstract: A vending machine audit system includes a vending machine including a vending machine controller configured to generate device data representative of the operations of the vending machine. At least one peripheral device is operatively coupled to the vending machine and is configured to generate device data representative of the operations of the peripheral device. An audit module includes a data storage component and is operatively coupled to the vending machine controller and the at least one peripheral device. The audit module is configured to receive device data from each of the vending machine controller and the at least one peripheral device and to perform a merging operation to generate a single merged audit data record representative of the operations of the vending machine and the at least one peripheral device.

Abstract: A method and system (1) for discharging beverage containers (6) continuously moved on a horizontal conveyor (10) and guided in parallel rows by one or more gripping heads (3a, 3b, 3c) are disclosed. The one or more gripping heads (3a, 3b, 3c) respectively form at least one pick-up position for the beverage containers (6) to be discharged. The beverage containers (6) are guided on the horizontal conveyor (10) at least approximately together. In the scope of the method, an actual position (IP), adopted in the conveying direction (FR), of one or more of the continuously moved beverage containers (6) is acquired. Moreover, a travelling movement, oriented in parallel to the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers (6), of the one or more gripping heads (3a, 3b, 3c) is adapted while taking into account the acquired actual position (IP).

Abstract: A conveyor (10) for transporting products, in particular in dusty environments, especially in tissue paper processing installations, includes one or more conveyor belts (12) in particular of a mobile type, for transporting the product between one or more pickup and/or release points, includes a mounting frame (11) for the respective conveyor belt (12) which includes a respective frame (13) for supporting an endless band (14) which transports the product and which runs on corresponding guide and slide elements. The conveyor includes band sliding elements (15) which can be moved between a normal position where the band (14) is engaged and retained and a position where the selfsame band (14) is disengaged.

Abstract: A kiosk according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing; a touch screen configured to receive input information from a user; a label printer configured to print output information from the kiosk; a pill drop opening; a pill chute; a drive tube having entry and exit openings, wherein the drive tube has an axis extending through a longitudinal axial centerline thereof, and has an inside surface comprising a helical flute, wherein the entry opening is in communication with the pill chute, and wherein the exit opening is higher than the entry opening such that the axial centerline of the drive tube is inclined; a motor configured to rotate the drive tube to separate and convey pills received through the pill drop opening and the pill chute; and an optical counter configured to count the pills as the pills fall from the exit opening of the drive tube.

Abstract: A conveyor device for food includes bar members coupled with coupling members to form a conveyor belt. A guide rail supports the belt, and a sprocket meshes with tooth-shaped portions formed on the coupling members. Each coupling members includes a metallic insert member. A wear resistant resin member incorporating the metallic insert member has a bent shape with an interior space(s), both end portions coupled to a first bar member, and a pair of slotted holes in which a second bar member which is adjacent to the first bar member is loosely fitted. Wear resistant resin members form tooth-shaped portions and slide surfaces which slide on the guide rail. Meshing portion of the sprocket which meshes with the tooth-shaped portions is formed of wear resistant resin. Contact pressure and friction in a slide portion between the belt and the slide portion is prevented from increasing in low temperature environments.

Abstract: A cabinet system for securely storing items includes a cabinet housing, a controller, and at least one drawer unit. The cabinet housing has a locking mechanism, and the controller is in communication with the cabinet housing and configured to operate the locking mechanism. The drawer unit is designed to be releasably locked at least partially within the cabinet housing by the locking mechanism, and slidable within a portion of the cabinet housing when released by the locking mechanism. The drawer unit includes at least one storage compartment, a cover, memory, and a power source. The storage compartment is configured to store at least one item therein. The cover is movable to an open configuration and a closed configuration. When the cover is in the closed configuration, the cover limits access to the item of the storage compartment. The memory is powered by the power source and is configured to store data associated with a movement of the cover.

Abstract: A product dispenser includes a product sampling portion configured to contain a product to be sampled. The product sampling portion includes a product sample dispenser. A packaged product portion is configured to contain and dispense a packaged product corresponding to a product to be sampled.

Abstract: A medication and dispensing system tracks the medication of multiple users over time and preferably combines this information with periodic test results provided to the system. The system is designed to allow remote access electronically to authorized users whereby doctors or other medical professionals can review the data of actual medication dispensed and preliminary test results accumulated over time. Preliminary analysis of the data is conducted by the system to identify a predetermined medical alert condition. Upon determination of the predetermined medical alert condition, the dispensing system dispenses or makes available for dispensing an alert response medication.

Abstract: A hand towel dispenser capable of data capture and transmission. The hand towel dispenser includes a reel shell for holding a hand towel roll that includes fresh dispenser material, a rotatably held reel that takes up used dispenser material, a measuring apparatus for capturing measured values that represent the quantity of used dispenser material, and a radio module that is connected to the measuring apparatus to receive the measured values captured by the measuring apparatus. The radio module is designed to transmit radio signals, each of which contains at least one measured value. The measuring apparatus includes at least one first sensor for capturing the quantity of used dispenser material. And, the sensor is connected to the radio module.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating vending information is provided. The system includes a plurality of vending apparatuses, each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible products, and a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses configured to receive user information. The user information can include a vending request for a vendible product and a location identifier. The system is further configured to select a vending apparatus from the plurality of vending apparatuses based on the location identifier, determine whether the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus, and transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending machine.

Abstract: A practice hockey puck locker which is mounted on an upstanding wall member. The locker includes a first upstanding first rectangular tube, having open upper and lower ends, a second tubular member, having upper and lower ends, extending downwardly from the lower end of the first tubular member and a third tubular member, having upper and lower ends, extending downwardly from the lower end of the third tubular member. A puck dispenser housing is secured to the lower end of the third tubular member. A key operated dead bolt is positioned on the dispenser housing which is selectively movable between locked and unlocked positions. When the dead bolt is in the locked position, the pucks cannot be dispensed from the dispenser housing. When the dead bolt is in the unlocked position, the pucks may fall from the lower end of the discharge dispenser.

Abstract: The system is provided for repositioning flat-disposed objects that can be arranged in an overlapping manner at a system inlet. The system includes a first and a second lateral deviation conveyor, each having an inlet located downstream the inlet of the system. The system also includes a diverting device creating a first transport circuit ending on the right side of a common receiving zone, and a second transport circuit ending on the left side of the common receiving zone. The system can invert the orientation of the objects transported in the first transport circuit with reference to the objects transported in the second transport circuit. The system can advantageously be used with objects having a variable thickness and in particular with folding cartons in a flat configuration.

Abstract: A conveyor device (10) for the loading or unloading of separable piece goods from a storage area or to a storage area with at least one conveyor belt mechanism (1), which is mounted on a bracket (2), and with a roll-on module (3) for receiving and setting down the separable piece goods, wherein the roll-on module (3) is arranged at a front free end of the conveyor device (10), wherein a curve module (4) is provided between the roll-on module (3) and the conveyor belt mechanism (1), with which a change of direction in the transport direction at least in the horizontal plane is variably adjustable. The roll-on module (3) has two belt ramps (31) running parallel to each other, and the two belt ramps (31) can be actuated separately so that the speeds of the belt ramps (31) can be adjusted differently.

Abstract: A data-enabled pharmaceutical container and methods for reminding at dose time, then tracking and communicating valid dose events and/or dose exception events are disclosed. Examples of dose exception events include, but are not limited to, missed doses, extra doses, early doses, and late doses. The data-enabled pharmaceutical container includes control electronics for processing and communicating information about valid dose events and/or dose exception events. For example, using a dose detection algorithm, a dose event is deemed valid based on (1) sensing the open state of the data-enabled pharmaceutical container (e.g., sensing that the closure is not present), (2) sensing a certain orientation or tilt of the data-enabled pharmaceutical container, and (3) sensing that the data-enabled pharmaceutical container is both opened and tilted simultaneously for a certain amount of time (e.g., a few seconds).

Abstract: A medicine feeding device is configured by providing a first rotor that rotates around a first shaft, a second rotor that rotates around a second shaft, a partition wall extending from the second rotor towards the first rotor, a medicine discharge port provided on the outside of the second rotor, a medicine guide section located in the downstream of a movement section in the medicine transport direction, and a height regulator disposed between the movement section and medicine guide section. In addition, the width regulator that is disposed between the medicine guide section and the height regulator is further provided. Also, a medicine counting device is further provided with a medicine detection means for detecting the medicine that is supplied from the medicine discharge port, and a counting means (central control unit) for counting the medicines based on the detection performed by the medicine detection means.

Abstract: A cabinet for securely storing items includes a drawer enclosure, a drawer, a cover, an electric actuator, and a switch. The drawer is slidable at least partially into and out of the enclosure, and includes a compartment. A cover which is configured as a metal belt is designed to selectively block access to the compartments of the drawer when the cover is in a first configuration, and to allow access to the compartment when the cover is in a second configuration. The electric actuator is designed to move the cover from the first configuration to the second configuration in one of two directions. The actuator selects the direction to reduce the time required to make such movement.

Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a transporting endless belt, a discharging head and a cleaning mechanism. The transporting endless belt has an adhesive support surface, and configured and arranged to intermittently transport a medium by supporting the medium on the adhesive support surface. The discharging head is configured and arranged to discharge a liquid onto the medium supported by the transporting endless belt. The cleaning mechanism has a cleaning roller configured and arranged to clean the transporting endless belt by coming into contact with the transporting endless belt. When a total length of the transporting endless belt is L1, an intermittent transport distance of the transporting endless belt is L2, and a contact length of the cleaning roller with the transporting endless belt in a transport direction is L3, L3 is longer than L2, and L1 is a non-integer multiple of L2.

Abstract: A portable self medication management system and method comprising at least a plurality of receptacles, a scanner, a display screen, a housing for a compact electronic box, a compact electronic box and a processor to acquire medication information from a medication container, determine whether the medication information exists in a first database, if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associate the medication information with a location information comprising a receptacle and store the medication information and the location information in the first database, indicate the location information, and confirm placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle, notify a user to administer the medication held in the medication container, and request the user to scan the medication container of the notified medication, detect retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issue a warning of the detection, and provide instructions fo