Abstract: A flexible container is provided for the storage and mixing together of diluents and medicaments. The container incorporates multiple compartments, separated by peelable seals, in which the diluents and medicaments are stored. The container is constructed of thermoplastic materials having high oxygen and moisture barrier properties which allows the container to be stored for extended periods of time without degrading the contents. The seals are ruptured by manipulation of the container to thereby mix the contents together for delivery through standard IV arrangement to a patient. The seals are constructed to provide a non-linear resistance characteristic to hydraulic pressure, which causes the seal to peel open completely along its length. The container also includes a locking tab and retaining slot to secure the bag in a folded-over condition.

Abstract: A flexible container is provided for the storage and mixing together of diluents and medicaments. The container incorporates multiple compartments, separated by preferentially peelable seals, in which the diluents and medicaments are stored. The container is constructed of thermoplastic materials having high oxygen and moisture barrier properties which allows the container to be stored for extended periods of time without degrading the contents. The peelable seals are ruptured by manipulation of the container to thereby mix the contents together for delivery through standard IV arrangement to a patient. The seals are constructed such that the seal between the diluent and medicament compartments is preferentially ruptured such that a liquid medicament and a diluent are always mixed before the combined solution is accessible for administration. The container is fillable with a single component liquid medicament which may be susceptible to sloshing or turbulence.

Abstract: A collapsible conveyor system includes a plurality of nestable conveyor components. Each component includes a plurality of wheeled vertical ground supporting members. The conveying portion of each conveyor component includes a pair of spaced apart, longitudinal members or side rails. Positioned vertically between each pair of spaced apart side rails and providing connection therebetween are a plurality of cross-members or roller assemblies. The top side of one rail is slidingly matable with the bottom side of another side rail through a channel-male component arrangement. The rails are composed of a polymerized material. Optionally, one or more elements of the roller assemblies are composed of a polymerized material.

Abstract: A flexible container is provided for the storage and mixing together of diluents and medicaments. The container incorporates multiple compartments, separated by peelable seals, in which the diluents and medicaments are stored. The container is constructed of thermoplastic materials having high oxygen and moisture barrier properties which allows the container to be stored for extended periods of time without degrading the contents. The seals are ruptured by manipulation of the container to thereby mix the contents together for delivery through standard IV arrangement to a patient. The seals are constructed to provide a non-linear resistance characteristic to hydraulic pressure, which causes the seal to peel open completely along its length. The container is folded-over along the line of one of the seals and also includes a locking tab and retaining slot to secure the bag in a folded-over condition.

Abstract: A flexible container is provided for the storage and mixing together of diluents and medicaments. The container incorporates multiple compartments, separated by preferentially peelable seals, in which the diluents and medicaments are stored. The container is constructed of thermoplastic materials having high oxygen and moisture barrier properties which allows the container to be stored for extended periods of time without degrading the contents. The peelable seals are ruptured by manipulation of the container to thereby mix the contents together for delivery through standard IV arrangement to a patient. The seals are constructed such that the seal between the diluent and medicament compartments is preferentially ruptured such that a liquid medicament and a diluent are always mixed before the combined solution is accessible for administration. The container is fillable with a single component liquid medicament which may be susceptible to sloshing or turbulence.

Abstract: A flexible container is provided for the storage and administration of medical solutions. The container incorporates a transparent front sheet made from a planar layer of a polymer and an opposing rear sheet. The rear sheet is made from a planar laminate layer. The front and rear sheets are sealed together along a common peripheral edge to form a volume enclosure. The volume enclosure is constructed of materials having high oxygen and moisture barrier properties which allows the container thermoplastic to be stored for extended periods of time without degrading the contents. The volume enclosure is then inflated with a pressurized gas to permanently stretch the front and rear sheets outwardly and to thereby increase the volume capacity of the container. An alternative embodiment of the container incorporates multiple compartments, separated by peelable seals, for containing a diluent and a medicament.

Abstract: An optical system for adjusting the optical path between a detector and an object, such as an information-encoded label affixed to a package. The optical system comprises a pair of movable mirrors and an array of fixed mirrors. One of the movable mirrors is positionable to direct an image reflected from the object to any one of the array of fixed mirrors. The other of the movable mirrors is positionable to direct the image reflected by the fixed mirror to the detector. The positions of the movable mirrors are adjusted responsive to variations in the measured height of different objects.

Abstract: A flexible, sterile container is provided for sterile storing and mixing of medicaments and liquids which includes a shell with at least one compartment. At least one sterile liquid-containing pouch is in one of the compartments, and a medicament is in the compartment with the pouch or is in a different compartment. The liquid and medicament are mixed together by squeezing the shell and pouch to rupture the pouch to release the liquid for mixing with the medicament just prior to dispensing the mixture.

Abstract: The system has an optical scanning device formed of a plurality of pixel elements for providing a scan output signal representative of a scanned region of an object. The system has a reflector, an illumination source, a light compensator, and an object positioner. The reflector defines an ellipse. The object positioner disposes the object substantially near the major axis of the ellipse. The illumination source emits and applies light energy to the object disposed at a first focus of the ellipse. The light compensator, which varies the light energy emitted from the illumination source, has one or more dedicated pixels of the optical scanning device. The light compensator also has fiber optical transmitters that receive light transmitted from the illumination source and couple to the dedicated pixels, which are unavailable for receiving reflected light from the scanned region of the object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for weighing an object in which the object is moved to, and tipped over, a tip point. A signal representative of the weight of the object is generated as the object is tipped over the tip point. The apparatus may include a conveyor for moving the object toward the tip point, which may be supported by a load sensor that generates the signals representative of the object weight.

Abstract: Robotic hand includes retractable paddles for supporting an article and a vertically-movable top paddle for engaging an upper surface of the article. The top paddle is mounted on an upper free end of a band of sheet-like material, which may be extended above the top surface of a housing of the robotic hand. Inflatable bladders in the retractable paddles have a relatively high coefficient of friction, and the top surface of the paddles has relatively low coefficient of friction. A force sensor may be provided in the lower surface of the top paddles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for weighing an object in which the object is moved to, and tipped over, a tip point. A signal representative of the weight of the object is generated as the object is tipped over the tip point. The apparatus may include a conveyor for moving the object toward the tip point, which may be supported by a load sensor that generates the signals representative of the object weight.

Abstract: The camera system of the present invention simultaneously searches for a number of differing optical acquisition targets. This system may decode, for example, both bar codes and concentric rings. The scan signal is constantly adjusted according to both a dark reference for correcting offset and a white reference for correcting gain. The gain is also corrected according to the scanning rate as well as the amount of illumination present. A measure of this illumination may be applied directly to the optical scanning device by way of a fiber optic cable which transmits light from the illumination source. Optical calibration is eliminated by fixed optics wherein all optical elements are rigidly mounted at very close tolerances. The illumination source is disposed on one focus of an ellipse wherein the other focus is disposed at the maximum scanning distance and the reflector is formed to define the illumination ellipse to maximize the light applied to the object.

Abstract: The camera system of the present invention simultaneously searches for a number of differing optical acquisition targets. Upon detecting an acquisition target it decodes according to corresponding differing decoding algorithms. To facilitate this operation there is a system bus as well as a dedicated data bus for applying a scan signal of an optical scanning device to differing detection circuitry. This system may decode, for example, both bar codes and concentric rings. The scan signal is constantly adjusted according to both a dark reference for correcting offset and a white reference for correcting gain. The gain is also corrected according to the scanning rate as well as the amount of illumination present. A measure of this illumination may be applied directly to the optical scanning device by way of a fiber optic cable which transmits light from the illumination source.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for and method of determining the three-axis center of gravity of objects. The apparatus of the present invention has a conveyor assembly that receives a package from an upstream conveyor path. After being received, the package is decelerated in a controlled manner to a complete stop. Package motion is then resumed to propel the package off the apparatus onto the downstream conveyor path. During both the deceleration and stop periods, signals are generated by load cells supporting the conveyor assembly. These generated signals are representative of the load applied by the package at the load cells. The three components of the center of gravity of the package are calculated from these generated signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing temporally coherent, full color holograms is disclosed whereby a linear array of stereographically positioned cameras are simultaneously triggered to obtain a temporally coherent sequence of full color exposures. The exposures are then sequentially exposed upon an H1 plate using multiple wavelength, "white" laser light to obtain a virtual full color hologram image in a single step operation.