Abstract: An article conveying device having a temporary placement section and capable of conveying articles. The article conveying device has: a supplying section configured to sequentially convey or supply plural articles; a discharging section configured to sequentially convey plural containers for containing the articles; a temporary placement section on which at least one article can be temporarily placed; a first detecting section configured to detect a position/posture of the article on the supplying section and successively detect an amount of movement of the supplying section; a second detecting section configured to detect a position/posture of the container on the discharging section and successively detect an amount of movement of the discharging section; a working machine configured to convey the article between the supplying section, the temporary placement section and the discharging section; and a controlling section configured to control the working machine based on a predetermined condition.

Abstract: The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a combination dispensing and disposal container (1) having a dispensing end (2) with a dispensing opening (3) for dispensing new items, such as facial tissue, wet wipes, candy, etc. On the opposite end of the container is a disposal end (4) with a disposal opening (5) for accepting trash. A bladder (6) located inside of the container separates a storage compartment (7) where new items are held from a disposal compartment (8) where trash is held. In addition to or in lieu of a bladder, a rigid partition (9) may also separate the storage compartment from the disposal compartment. One or more lids (10, 11) keeps the dispensing and end and the disposal end sealed when not in use. An additional feature is a strap (12) that allows a user to attach the tissue container to his or her wrist.

Abstract: Implementations of a public use tag marking kiosk. Aspects associated with particular implementations of a tag marking kiosk comprise, among others, automatically marking two sides of a tag within the kiosk, receiving the tag to be marked from the customer, providing a closeable door between the marking implement and the customer while the tag is being marked, ejecting the tag from a tag holder after the tag is marked, and aligning the tag so that a desired tag side is required to be initially facing up on the tag holder. Housing for the kiosk may surround all of the system parts or may be split into a housing shell and a marking unit that fits inside the shell. Marking implements may be laser, mechanical stylus, paint, or others. Tags may be suspended in a cantilevered manner during marking.

Abstract: The invention relates to a refrigerator for storing vials containing a (bio)pharmaceutical substance, in particular vaccines for animals, comprising a cabinet having an internal space for accommodating the vials arranged in columns, a cooling element for cooling the internal space and at least one door or dispenser for removing vials from the internal space. A plurality of guides located inside the space and adapted to slidingly accommodate columns of the vials. The invention further relates to a cartridge suitable for use in the said refrigerator.

Abstract: An apparatus having a plurality of elongated, open channels for storing, displaying and dispensing rolled socks. Terminating at its lower end in a base, each channel defines an elongated viewing slot which extends vertically substantially the length thereof. So that socks inserted through the slot drop downwardly within the channel to be supported by the base, the minimum span of a transverse cross-section of each channel is somewhat larger than the diameter of a pair of rolled socks. At the same time, both the channel and the slot are sufficiently narrow to retain pairs of rolled socks in magazine type fashion. Socks located in any position within the confines of one of the channels can be readily removed therefrom through its respective viewing slot. The apparatus also includes a mounting frame so that the unit can be either flush or surface mounted on a wall.

Abstract: A vending apparatus and system for storing and automatically dispensing magnetic or optical disks. A user interface means allows a user to enter a dispensing request corresponding to the selection of a desired disk and includes means for receiving user identification information, such as credit or debit card information, or other information stored magnetically on a bank card, driver's license, school identification card, or library card. Once a disk selection has been entered and user identification information received and verified, the selected disk is dispensed from the vending unit. The disks to be dispensed by the vending unit may be provided to have a region of magnetic recording media formed on one surface, and the vending unit may be equipped to write information relevant to the transaction onto the region of magnetic media.

Abstract: A method for feeding articles to a robot comprises the steps of temporarily storing a plurality of containers in a temporary storing device including a rest on which the plurality of containers are stacked and a separator for simultaneously separating the stacked containers from each other, stocking a plurality of containers supplied from the temporary storing device in a stocker, and feeding the stocked containers to the robot one-by-one.

Abstract: An article feeding apparatus which feeds articles from a feed source to a section to be subjected to feeding includes a stocker for stocking a plurality of pallets retaining a plurality of articles in units of types of articles, with the stocker being capable of moving one pallet to a predetermined position, and a take-out unit for taking the pallet moved to the predetermined position outside the stocker in order to transfer articles to the section to be subjected to feeding. In addition, a buffer receives replacement of the pallets retaining the articles from external equipment and temporarily stores the plurality of pallets, and a replacing unit replaces the pallets in the stocker with the pallets in the buffer in accordance with a decrease in number of articles in the pallet in the stocker to a predetermined value as the articles are fed to the feeding section.

Abstract: A scanning system receives and ejects material to be scanned in a given plane. There are first and second transports, each for holding material to be scanned. A table has a bed capable of holding one of the transports. Rails above the bed hold the other transport. These rails may be operated to drop any transport that is on the rails onto the bed. The bed and rails may be raised and lowered so that any transport, on the bed, is in the given plane when a transport is to be fed into the scanning system, and so that any transport ejected from the scanning system will be received on the rails. With this apparatus the two transports may be scanned alternately, with the material on one being changed while the other is being scanned. The transports are moved by rollers and pushing devices.

Abstract: A method of feeding material to be scanned to, and ejecting such material from, a scanning system is provided. The scanning system receives, ejects and transports carrying material to be scanned. Two such transports are provided, to permit material to be scanned on one transport while the material on the other transport is changed and/or modified. The transports are fed into the scanning system from a bed and are received from the system on rails. The rails are above the bed. The bed and rails are in one vertical position when transports are fed from the bed into the scanning system and at another vertical position when a transport is ejected from the scanning system onto the rails. A transport may be dropped from the rails to the bed.