Abstract: A load port is provided with a table and a plate. The table is arranged on a side of a front wall of an atmospheric transfer unit for transferring a piece of material under processing and is adapted to mount on it a container with the piece of material received in the same. The plate serves to isolate an interior of the atmospheric transfer unit from an exterior of the atmospheric transfer unit. The load port includes an exhaust duct arranged on a rear side of the plate and a fan arranged in a lower extremity of the exhaust duct. By the exhaust duct and the fan, an internal atmosphere of the atmospheric transfer unit can be exhausted into the atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transport unit comprising a base member, a transport mechanism and a positioning mechanism. The base member includes a bottom wall extending in a transport direction and a pair of side walls standing upright from two side portions, respectively, of the bottom wall. The transport mechanism is supported by the base member and transports an object to be transported. The positioning mechanism is supported by the base member, and positions the object relative to the base member.

Abstract: A hydrogen vacuum furnace (100) is provided with a process chamber (1) wherein a subject (10) to be heated is stored; a heating chamber (2) wherein a heater lamp (25) is stored; and a crystal board (3) for separating the subject (10) and the heater lamp (25) one from the other. In the hydrogen vacuum furnace (100), the subject (10) is heated by a radiant ray applied from the heater lamp (25). The process chamber (1) and the heating chamber (2) are provided with gas feed ports (11, 21) and exhaust ports (12, 22), respectively, for feeding and exhausting a gas. When the subject (10) is being heated, atmospheric pressure in each chamber is adjusted so that the heating chamber (2) is under positive pressure to the process chamber (1) by feeding or exhausting the gas.

Abstract: A production apparatus for producing a component assembly by sequentially performing predetermined processes in a plurality of processing areas (A1 to A6) arranged in a ring formation and then, by separating a jig. The apparatus includes a rotational table main body (20), a plurality of holding/transfer units (30) rotatable integrally with the rotational table main body and capable of holding an object and transferring the same onto processing tables in the plurality of processing areas, a plurality of loading portions (40) provided on the rotational table main body corresponding to the plurality of holding/transfer units and capable of loading the jig, and a plurality of processing units (60 to 110) provided for performing predetermined processes in the plurality of processing areas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transport unit comprising a base member, a transport mechanism and a positioning mechanism. The base member includes a bottom wall extending in a transport direction and a pair of side walls standing upright from two side portions, respectively, of the bottom wall. The transport mechanism is supported by the base member and transports an object to be transported. The positioning mechanism is supported by the base member, and positions the object relative to the base member.

Abstract: A component transfer apparatus and method includes a mounting member on which a lower frame of a rack can be mounted and which is driven to move up and down in order to take out or retrieve components from the rack in which the components can be aligned and accommodated in a vertical direction; an upper push member that is arranged to face the mounting member from above and driven to move up and down in order to push the upper frame of the rack from above; and a carrying hand that can reciprocate between a retracted position where it faces the upper push member from below and a protruding position where it protrudes from the upper push member in a horizontal direction and that is driven to move up and down so as to enter a space below the upper frame to carry and suspend the rack at the protruding position and so as to move down the rack onto the mounting member at the retracted position.

Abstract: A stopping apparatus according to the invention includes a swing unit pivotal about a first pivot shaft between an abutment position in which the swing unit abuts against a work to stop conveyance of the work and a retreat position, a driving unit, and an elastic member applying a biasing force to the swing unit in a direction in which the swing unit is located at the abutment position. The swing unit includes a swing portion pivotal about the first pivot shaft and a movable portion including an abutment portion abutting against the work. The movable portion is pivotally connected to the swing portion. The movable portion pivots relative to the swing portion such that a distance between the first pivot shaft and the abutment portion becomes short along with a pivot motion of the swing unit to the retreat position.

Abstract: A rotation clamping mechanism includes a rotating member and at least two engagement members that are attached to the rotating member and transmit rotational power. The engagement members engage a rotated object placed in a predetermined positional relationship with the engagement members. The rotated object is rotated by rotating the rotating member. The engagement members are supported on the rotating member so as to swing to an engagement position where power is transmitted to the rotated object and to a release position where engagement is released. The rotation clamping mechanism further includes: an opening/closing mechanism that moves the engagement members between the engagement position and the release position; and a biasing member that biases the engagement members toward the engagement position. At the engagement position, the engagement members clamp the rotated object in a floating state with the engagement members pressed onto the rotated object by the biasing member.

Abstract: This invention provides a conveying apparatus which conveys a workpiece. The conveying apparatus includes a pallet which supports the workpiece, a conveyor which supports one side of the pallet in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction from below the pallet, and includes a conveyance roller for conveying the pallet and a driving source for driving the conveyance roller, and a heaving suppression guide member which extends along the conveyor, abuts against the other side of the pallet in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and suppresses heaving of the pallet.

Abstract: An operation apparatus of this invention includes a main pallet and a sub pallet detachable from the main pallet, and can convey a work and a part. The operation apparatus includes a lifting mechanism disconnecting, from the main pallet, the work placed on the main pallet and lift/lower the work; a moving mechanism detaching, from the main pallet, the sub pallet attached to the main pallet and lift/lower the sub pallet; a rotation mechanism holding the work lifted to a work operation region by the lifting mechanism; and an operation unit extracting the part from the sub pallet lifted to a part preparation region by the moving mechanism and assembling the part to the work.

Abstract: An assembling apparatus of this invention includes a main pallet and a sub pallet detachable from the main pallet, and can convey a cylinder head and parts thereof. The apparatus includes a mechanism disconnecting, from the main pallet, the cylinder head placed on the main pallet and lifting/lowering the cylinder head, a mechanism detaching the sub pallet from the main pallet and lifting/lowering the sub pallet, a mechanism holding the cylinder head lifted to a work operation region, an operation unit extracting a valve retainer from the sub pallet lifted to a part preparation region and assemble it to a cylinder head, and a device arranged between the work operation region and the part preparation region and detaching a pair of cotter pieces.

Abstract: A work stopping apparatus according to this invention includes a swing unit pivotable about a first pivot shaft between an abutment position and a retracted position, and a driving unit pivoting the swing unit. The swing unit includes a swing portion and a movable portion including a work abutment portion. The movable portion is pivotable about a second pivot shaft parallel to the first pivot shaft. A distance between the first pivot shaft and the work abutment portion becomes short along with pivoting motion of the swing unit from the abutment position to the retracted position.

Abstract: This invention provides a retainer assembling apparatus which assembles a retainer to a valve stem via a cotter which engage with an engaging groove formed on the valve stem. The cotter comprises a pair of cotter segments. The apparatus includes a cylindrical body, a holding portion which holds the retainer contacting a lower end of the cylindrical body, a push-up shaft which pushes up the pair of cotter segments into the cylindrical body, and an axial body which is arranged in the cylindrical body to be coaxial with the push-up shaft and to be coaxially movable. The cylindrical body includes a tapered inner circumferential portion on an inner circumferential wall lower portion thereof.

Abstract: A work stopping apparatus according to this invention includes a swing unit pivotable about a first pivot shaft between an abutment position and a retracted position, and a driving unit pivoting the swing unit. The swing unit includes a swing portion and a movable portion including a work abutment portion. The movable portion is pivotable about a second pivot shaft parallel to the first pivot shaft. A distance between the first pivot shaft and the work abutment portion becomes short along with pivoting motion of the swing unit from the abutment position to the retracted position.

Abstract: A filling method exhausts gas from inside a slit nozzle that applies coating liquid onto a substrate surface while filling the slit nozzle with the coating liquid. The slit nozzle includes a coating liquid supply opening, a coating liquid discharge outlet, a manifold that is connected to the supply opening and holds the coating liquid inside the slit nozzle, a liquid channel that is connected to the manifold and supplies the coating liquid to the discharge outlet of the slit nozzle, and a ventilation hole for exhausting gas from inside the manifold. The filling method includes: a discharge outlet closing process that closes the discharge outlet while the coating liquid is being fed from the supply opening into the slit nozzle; and a ventilation hole opening process that opens the ventilation hole.

Abstract: The present invention provides a container opening/closing device for opening and closing a lid of a container. The container comprises a container body including an opening and the lid detachably attached to the opening. The device comprises an opening/closing mechanism including a holding portion for holding the lid and a pressing mechanism. The opening/closing mechanism opens and closes the opening by moving the holding portion between a closing position and an open position. The pressing mechanism presses a peripheral edge of the holding portion toward the container body when the opening/closing mechanism moves the lid from the open position to the closing position.

Abstract: A work support apparatus according to the present invention includes a base unit, a holding unit stands on the base unit and holds a work in a cantilevered state, and a tilt mechanism that makes the holding unit pivot with respect to the base unit. The holding unit includes a holding portion holding the work in a state in which a side portion of the work on the holding unit side is exposed. The tilt mechanism is an arcuate slide mechanism including an arcuate shape portion with respect to a virtual horizontal line as the center, and an abutting portion abutting against the arcuate shape portion.

Abstract: A component transfer device includes a holding mechanism (20) that positions and holds a component on a carrying surface (S) located at a predetermined height and a pull-out unit (40) that pulls out the component held on the carrying surface by the holding mechanism in a horizontal direction. The pull-out unit includes a grasping member (43, 44) that can separably grasp the component from a vertical direction, a cam member (42) that causes the grasping member to perform a component grasping operation and a component releasing operation at predetermined timings by exercising a cam function to the grasping member, a driving mechanism (41, 46, 47) that drives the cam member and the grasping member.

Abstract: A loading/unloading robot includes an arm unit attached to a support unit that is capable of being raised and lowered and a hand unit for conveying a loaded/unloaded object, attached to the arm unit. The support unit includes a base portion capable of revolving around a raising/lowering axis and a head portion rotatably attached to the base portion. The arm unit includes arms that are rotatably attached to the head portion. Front ends of the arms move forward and backward along a forward/backward direction that passes the head portion. The hand unit includes a loading/unloading hand rotatably attached to the arm. A center distance from the rotational axis of the head portion to the rotational axes of rear arms is shorter than a center distance from an axis of revolution of the base portion to the rotational axis of the head portion.

Abstract: This invention provides a lifting apparatus which holds a work by clamping the work vertically, and lifts the work. The lifting apparatus includes upper and lower clamping units, a guide mechanism which guides lifting movements of the upper and lower clamping units, a driving mechanism which drives the lower clamping unit to lift along the guide mechanism, and a stopper which is set so that the upper clamping unit is stopped before the lower clamping unit reaches a downward movement lower limit during the downward movement of the units, and which defines a downward movement lower limit of the upper clamping unit.