Abstract: A motor driver supplies electric power to a plurality of motors. A switcher selectively switches a target motor to which the electric power output from the motor driver is supplied among the plurality of motors. An output controller includes a plurality of motor controllers, each of which performs control on any one of the plurality of motor, and controls the motor driver so that the motor driver outputs the electric power based on an output from each of the plurality of motor controllers. A switching controller controls the switcher so that the target motor is cyclically switched among an equal or fewer number of motors out of the plurality of motors compared to a number of the plurality of motor controllers.

Abstract: A rail-guided vehicle system connecting between vertically-spaced floors includes a descending rail to enable a travel vehicle to move downward. The descending rail has a helical structure and includes a rail in a first section where energy is generated when a brake included in the travel vehicle works and a rail in a second section where energy that has been generated when a travel vehicle traveled in the first section is consumed.

Abstract: A supporter includes an upper portion including a load receiver on which a projection projecting downward from a supported body is to be mounted and which receives a load of the supported body. The supporter includes a lower portion to be provided on a floor surface and on which the upper portion is to be mounted. The upper portion includes, in a center portion thereof in a plan view, a first flexure that bends downward under the load of the supported body received by the load receiver. The lower portion includes a second flexure that bends downward when pressed by the first flexure bending downward. In the supporter, a sliding region in which the first flexure being bent downward and the second flexure being bent downward as pressed by the first flexure can slide on each other is defined by the load receiver having received the load of the supported body.

Abstract: A controller monitors the number of traveling vehicles scheduled to enter a sectioned area in addition to the number of existing vehicles, determines whether the traveling vehicles, scheduled to enter the sectioned area when the total of the number of existing vehicles and the number of vehicles scheduled to enter the sectioned area is acquired, can enter the sectioned area based on the total number of vehicles, determines whether a route including the sectioned area in a traveling route can be newly set, and controls the traveling of the traveling vehicle based on the determination on the entry and the determination on the setting.

Abstract: An overhead transport vehicle includes: a traveling part configured to travel along a traveling rail; a lifting part provided in the traveling part; a gripper unit configured to be raised and lowered by the lifting part and grip an article; an accelerometer mounted on the gripper unit; and a control device configured to recognize a lifting operation state of the gripper unit and determine presence or absence of an abnormality in the gripper unit based on the lifting operation state and a detection result of the accelerometer.

Abstract: A communication method of a transport system including of transport carriages each transporting a transported object, and communication devices connected one-to-one with loading ports onto which the transported objects are loaded. The communication devices are communicably connected to each other in advance. The communication method includes transmitting, from a specific transport carriage to the communication devices, a first signal having a specific communication as a final transmission destination, and receiving, in the specific communication device, the first signal from the specific transport carriage through a communication channel that passes through another communication device. The first signal is a signal communicated for the specific transport carriage to transfer the transported object to and from a specific loading port connected one-to-one with the specific communication device.

Abstract: An autonomously traveling vehicle includes a main body, a storage, an autonomous travel plan generator and a traveling controller. The main body includes a traveling carriage. The storage stores partial traveling route data generated for subareas including an individual coordinate system, and route connection data connecting the partial traveling routes. The autonomous travel plan generator generates an autonomous traveling schedule for autonomous travel by associating the selected partial traveling route data and the selected route connection data that connects the partial traveling routes. The traveling controller controls the traveling carriage in accordance with the autonomous traveling schedule to move the main body.

Abstract: The storage rack includes two base frames suspended from the ceiling, and two beam members bridged over the base frames and included in a loading portion on which a container is placed. A kinematic pin configured to position the container, a nozzle configured to supply fluid into the container, a distribution pipe configured to send the fluid to the nozzle, and a regulator provided to the distribution pipe configured to adjust the fluid are attached to one of the beam members.

Abstract: A transport system that includes more than one transport vehicle and a controlling apparatus. The transport vehicle includes a tire that is made of resin and transports an item by traveling with the tire in contact with a path. The controlling apparatus controls travel of the transport vehicle. The controlling apparatus sets a standby position for the transport vehicle whose continuous stoppage time exceeds a threshold, blocks at least the standby position to prevent another transport vehicle from being located at the standby position, and makes the transport vehicle travel to the standby position.

Abstract: In a transport system, a gripper includes long-side grippers aligned in a long-side direction of a workpiece which is cut, by machining/cutting, into a product and a skeleton including an outer frame with an overall rectangular shape and a crossbar inside the outer frame, so that both ends thereof are connected to two shorter sides facing each other, and extending in the long-side direction, the long-side grippers gripping longer sides of the outer frame of the skeleton, and short-side grippers aligned in a short-side direction with respect to the workpiece and that grip shorter sides of the outer frame. At least one of the short-side grippers moves in the short-side direction and grips the shorter sides of the outer frame. A lifter lifts or lowers the gripper gripping the outer frame and the product to separate the outer frame and the crossbar from the product.

Abstract: A traveling vehicle system in which a traveling vehicle travels along a traveling track including a rail body to accommodate a traveling unit of the traveling vehicle and extending along a traveling path of the traveling vehicle and a power feeder positioned along an extending direction of the rail body to supply electricity to the traveling unit, includes a working track that is continuous with the traveling track and includes an opening exposing at least a portion of the traveling unit and does not have the power feeder, and a mover to move the traveling vehicle along the working track.

Abstract: Time required for replacing a liner is shortened. A liner replacing device is configured to replace a liner for a supporting unit. The liner replacing device includes paired gripping jigs. The paired gripping jigs are aligned in a front-rear direction and are able to move toward and away from the supporting unit in the left-right direction. Each of the gripping jigs includes a first clamp configured to grip a winding-completed liner on which a fiber bundle is wound and a second clamp configured to grip a new liner on which no fiber bundle has been wound.

Abstract: It is possible to suppress damage to a yarn path guide mechanism and a textile machine. There is a first supporter which makes contact with a supporting shaft supporting a roller, a second supporter which is capable of making contact with the supporting shaft, and a biasing member which biases the second supporter in a direction in which the supporting shaft is sandwiched between the second supporter and the first supporter. When a virtual straight line which passes through a winding center and a rotation center is a first virtual straight line whereas a virtual straight line which extends in a direction orthogonal to the first virtual straight line and passes through the rotation center is a second virtual straight line, the second supporter makes contact with a part of the supporting shaft, which is positionally opposite to the winding center over the second virtual straight line.

Abstract: A roller unit in which loosening of a fiber bundle is suppressed and the fiber bundle is easily held and released is provided. A roller unit 70 includes a guide roller 71 onto which a fiber bundle F is placed and a first yarn holding member 82 and a second yarn holding member 83 attached to a leading end portion of the guide roller 71 in the axial direction. The first yarn holding member 82 and the second yarn holding member 83 are arranged to be able to make contact with each other and to be separated from each other, and can hold the fiber bundle F by sandwiching the same.

Abstract: Control closely based on sets of winding data of a fiber bundle is performed even if at least one set of the winding data is skipped. A controller includes a data conversion unit, a reference data setting unit, a transfer unit, and a selector. The data conversion unit converts sets of first winding data generated based on winding conditions into sets of second winding data in which a processing order number is associated with information of a state of a winder. The reference data setting unit sets some of the second winding data as sets of reference data in advance. The transfer unit transfers a selected set of the second winding data to the winder, each time a unit time elapses. The selector is able to set an override value that is used for determining a skip number.

Abstract: A storage device includes a pair of supports each extending in an up-and-down direction and spaced apart in a first direction; a pair of attachments each attached to a side surface by a fixing member having a shaft part, the side surface being a surface of each of the pair of supports and facing the first direction; and a platform supported by the pair of attachments and on which an article is to be placed, wherein each of the pair of attachments has a hole through which the shaft part is disposed, and an area of the hole is larger than an area of a cross-section of the shaft part orthogonal to an axial direction of the shaft part to such an extent that the pair of attachments are rotatable along the side surfaces of the pair of supports.

Abstract: A purge device includes a placement section on which a container is placed by a transfer device, a purge nozzle provided in the placement section, a controller configured to perform control to execute a purging process in which purge gas is supplied through the purge nozzle into the container placed on the placement section, and an entry detection sensor configured to detect the entry of the transfer device or the container to the space directly above the placement section from a front side or a depth side of the placement section when the transfer device causes the container to enter the space directly above the placement section. Based on the detection results of the entry detection sensor, the controller performs control to discharge the purge gas from the purge nozzle before the purging process is performed.

Abstract: A communication system includes a communication management unit, an access point, and a plurality of traveling vehicles. The access point is connected to the communication management unit. Each vehicle includes a wireless communication unit. The communication system performs wireless polling communication between the communication management unit and the plurality of traveling vehicles via the access point at each predetermined polling cycle. In the communication system, a process including a wireless communication object addition step is performed to accept a new traveling vehicle as an object of wireless communication.

Abstract: A transport vehicle system includes a transport vehicle having a first travel unit configured to travel on a track and a transfer unit configured to move in a horizontal direction with respect to the first travel unit to transfer an article and a buffer vehicle having a second travel unit configure to travel on the track on which the transport vehicle travels and an article placement unit provided to be movable integrally with the second travel unit and to be able to deliver the article with the transfer unit of the transport vehicle.

Abstract: An overhead conveying vehicle in which a main body part holding a conveyed object is suspended and supported by a traveling part includes a base unit suspended by the traveling part, a horizontal shaft integrally provided with the base unit and extending in a horizontal direction, and a support part provided on the main body part and supporting the horizontal shaft via a rubber bush.