Abstract: According to one embodiment, a hand includes a first holding unit, and a second holding unit. The first holding unit includes a plurality of first holding portions capable of holding an article. A plurality of the first holding units is provided in a second direction and is movable independently of each other in a first direction crossing the second direction. The second holding unit is movable in a third direction crossing a plane parallel to the first direction and the second direction. The second holding unit includes a plurality of second holding portions capable of holding the article.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holding device includes a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an article, and a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the article. The holding device performs at least a first operation of the first and second holders holding the article, and a second operation of only the first holder holding the article.

Abstract: An article sorting apparatus includes: a conveyance path extending in a first conveyance direction; at least one conveyance unit including a belt that forms a load surface on which an article is placed and a driving portion to drive the belt, and configured to move along the conveyance path and to convey the article placed on the load surface in a second conveyance direction that intersects the first conveyance direction; a loading portion configured to load the article onto the load surface; a sorting portion configured to sort the article received from the at least one conveyance unit; a weight information detector configured to detect weight information correlated with weight of the article transferred to the load surface; and a controller configured to control driving the driving portion in accordance with the detected weight information, to transfer the article placed on the load surface to the sorting portion.

Abstract: An article sorting apparatus includes a conveyance path, a conveyor cell, a loading device, a positioning device, a sorting unit and a control device. The conveyor cell moves along the conveyance path in a first conveyance direction and conveys an article loaded thereon in a second conveyance direction that intersects the first conveyance direction. The loading device loads the article onto the conveyor cell. The positioning device is located opposite the loading device with respect to the conveyance path. The positioning device includes a contact member and a driving unit. The driving unit drives the contact member in the second conveyance direction and brings it into contact with the article loaded onto the conveyor cell. The sorting unit receives the article conveyed by the conveyor cell. The control device controls conveyance of the article in the second conveyance direction. The control device controls the driving unit of the positioning device.

Abstract: An article sorting apparatus includes a conveyance path, a conveyor cell, a loading device, a positioning device, a sorting unit and a control device. The conveyor cell moves along the conveyance path in a first conveyance direction and conveys an article loaded thereon in a second conveyance direction that intersects the first conveyance direction. The loading device loads the article onto the conveyor cell. The positioning device is located opposite the loading device with respect to the conveyance path. The positioning device includes a contact member and a driving unit. The driving unit drives the contact member in the second conveyance direction and brings it into contact with the article loaded onto the conveyor cell. The sorting unit receives the article conveyed by the conveyor cell. The control device controls conveyance of the article in the second conveyance direction. The control device controls the driving unit of the positioning device.

Abstract: An article sorting apparatus includes a conveying path, a conveyer cell, a loading section, a sorting section and a control device. The conveyer cell includes a belt, a projecting portion and an actuator. The belt forms a setting surface on which an article is set. The projecting portion projects from a surface of the belt. The actuator drives the belt. The conveyer cell moves on the conveying path in a first conveying direction and conveys the article set on the setting surface in a second conveying direction orthogonal to the first conveying direction. The loading section transfers the article to the conveyer cell. The control device, when a size of the article is smaller than a predetermined size and when the loading section transfers the article to the setting surface, controls the actuator to drive the belt such that the projecting portion contacts a lower surface of the article.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an article sorting apparatus includes a conveyance path extending in a first conveyance direction, the conveyance path having a curve; a conveyance unit that moves along the conveyance path and conveys an article loaded on the conveyance unit in a second conveyance direction that intersects the first conveyance direction of the conveyance path; a loading portion that loads the article onto the conveyance unit; a sorting portion that sorts the article conveyed by the conveyance unit; and a controller that controls movement of the conveyance unit in the first conveyance direction and conveyance of the article in the second conveyance direction and controls the conveyance unit before entry of the conveyance unit into the curve such that if the curve has a curvature radius that is less than a predetermined threshold value, the position of the article on a load surface of the conveyance unit on which the article is placed is adjusted to a position that is offset from a middle position

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an article sorting apparatus includes a conveyance path extending in a first conveyance direction, at least one conveyance unit including a belt that forms a load surface on which an article is placed and a driving portion for driving the belt, the conveyance unit being configured to move along the conveyance path and to convey the article placed on the load surface in a second conveyance direction that intersects the first conveyance direction, a loading portion configured to load the article onto the load surface of the at least one conveyance unit, a sorting portion configured to sort the article received from the at least one conveyance unit, a weight information detector configured to detect weight information correlated with a weight of the article that is transferred from the loading portion to the load surface, and a controller configured to control driving of the driving portion in accordance with the weight information detected by the weight information detector, thereby

Abstract: An article sorting apparatus includes a conveying path, a conveyer cell, a loading section, a sorting section and a control device. The conveyer cell includes a belt, a projecting portion and an actuator. The belt forms a setting surface on which an article is set. The projecting portion projects from a surface of the belt. The actuator drives the belt. The conveyer cell moves on the conveying path in a first conveying direction and conveys the article set on the setting surface in a second conveying direction orthogonal to the first conveying direction. The loading section transfers the article to the conveyer cell. The control device, when a size of the article is smaller than a predetermined size and when the loading section transfers the article to the setting surface, controls the actuator to drive the belt such that the projecting portion contacts a lower surface of the article.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus including an upstream-side transport unit configured to hold a sheet and transport the sheet by rotating; a downstream-side transport unit configured to hold the sheet and further transport the sheet by rotating, the downstream-side transport unit being arranged at such a position that an unrestrained transport section is formed where the sheet is not held downstream in transport direction from the upstream-side transport unit; an upstream-side air-feed unit configured to form an air flow that flows downstream in transport direction on both sides of a transport plane of the sheet in the unrestrained transport section; and a controller configured to control the upstream-side air-feed unit to start forming an air flow before a leading edge of the sheet reaches the unrestrained transport section from the upstream-side transport unit, and to stop the air flow before a trailing edge of the sheet reaches the unrestrained transport section.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a supply mechanism is provided. The supply mechanism supplies accumulated paper sheets to a takeout position sequentially. A takeout belt having adsorption hole runs along a surface of the takeout position. An opening of a negative pressure chamber is arranged so as to face the takeout belt. A suction unit sucks air existing at the takeout position via the opening and the adsorption holes. The suction unit causes a negative pressure to act on each of the paper sheets so that each is adsorbed onto an adsorption surface of the takeout belt. The suction unit has an air supply port to supply air into the negative pressure chamber. The air supply port is arranged so that the air supplied via the air supply port is directed to a position and in a direction different from those of the opening.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus including an upstream-side transport unit configured to hold a sheet and transport the sheet by rotating; a downstream-side transport unit configured to hold the sheet and further transport the sheet by rotating, the downstream-side transport unit being arranged at such a position that an unrestrained transport section is formed where the sheet is not held downstream in transport direction from the upstream-side transport unit; an upstream-side air-feed unit configured to form an air flow that flows downstream in transport direction on both sides of a transport plane of the sheet in the unrestrained transport section; and a controller configured to control the upstream-side air-feed unit to start forming an air flow before a leading edge of the sheet reaches the unrestrained transport section from the upstream-side transport unit, and to stop the air flow before a trailing edge of the sheet reaches the unrestrained transport section.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet handling apparatus includes a conveying path to convey a sheet, a processing portion to perform a predetermined process on the sheet while conveying the sheet on the conveying path, a separable roller pair that is arranged at a certain distance from the processing portion on an upstream side or a downstream side in conveying direction, the separable roller pair being adapted to hand over the sheet between the conveying path and the processing portion by holding the sheet with a nip and rotating, a separating mechanism to separate the separable roller pair, and a controller that controls the separating mechanism such that the separable roller pair is separated before or after processing is started with the processing portion on a sheet that is conveyed on the conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet handling apparatus includes a conveying path to convey a sheet, a processing portion to perform a predetermined process on the sheet while conveying the sheet on the conveying path, a separable roller pair that is arranged at a certain distance from the processing portion on an upstream side or a downstream side in conveying direction, the separable roller pair being adapted to hand over the sheet between the conveying path and the processing portion by holding the sheet with a nip and rotating, a separating mechanism to separate the separable roller pair, and a controller that controls the separating mechanism such that the separable roller pair is separated before or after processing is started with the processing portion on a sheet that is conveyed on the conveying path.