Abstract: A filament winding apparatus includes a rail extending in a first direction, a core material support device that supports a core material, and a winding device that winds a fiber bundle onto an outer peripheral surface of the core material, the winding device including: a guide unit having an opening through which the core material passes, and guiding the fiber bundle; and a main frame on which the guide unit is mounted; wherein the main frame is movable relative to the core material in the first direction, the main frame is movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the main frame is rotatable around a first rotational axis extending in a third direction orthogonal to each of the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: A filament winding device includes a fiber bundle retainer that temporarily retains fiber bundles. The fiber bundle retainer includes: a reel member including an outer peripheral portion having pins movable in the axial direction relative to the fiber bundles supplied through fiber bundle guides and rotatable about the axis of the liner, the reel member capable of winding the fiber bundles onto the outer peripheral portion; a first cutting unit configured to cut a part of each of the fiber bundles in the circumferential direction, the part being between a part of the fiber bundle wound on the outer peripheral portion and a part of the fiber bundle wound on the liner; and a second cutting unit different from the first cutting unit and configured to cut a part of each of the fiber bundles in the axial direction, the part being wound on the outer peripheral portion.

Abstract: A travel system includes a travelling carriage that travels on a predetermined track, access points including first APs that wirelessly communicate with the travelling carriage and second APs that wirelessly communicate with the travelling carriage in a communication slot different from a communication slot of the first APs, and a controller that, via any one of the access points, receives from the travelling carriage position information indicating the current position of the travelling carriage, and transmits to the traveling carriage a travel instruction to control travel of the travelling carriage. The travelling carriage includes a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with one of the first APs, and wirelessly communicates with one of the second APs when wireless communication with the one of the first APs is not possible.

Abstract: In a local cart traveling system, a frame track includes first and second metal rails each with an L-shaped cross section and facing each other. A local cart is within the frame track, and includes a first electricity receiving tire and a second electricity receiving tire to travel on horizontal travel surfaces of the rails. A voltage supplier supplies an AC voltage to the travel surfaces, so that the first metal rail and a first electricity receiving tire define a first capacitor and the second metal rail and the second electricity receiving tire define a second capacitor. The local cart includes a power receiver to receive AC power, and a travel motor that receives power after the AC power is rectified. The frame track includes a connecting plate as an electrical insulator covering portions of the surfaces of vertical walls of the first metal rail and the second metal rail.

Abstract: A traveling vehicle travels along a traveling path and includes a main body, a traveler to allow a main body to travel along the traveling path, an LED array provided at the main body to switch a display manner according to a state of the traveling vehicle, an imager to capture an image of the LED array at a traveling vehicle located ahead of the traveling vehicle, and a controller configured or programmed to acquire a state of the traveling vehicle ahead based on the display manner captured by the imager, and to control the traveler of the traveling vehicle based on the acquired state.

Abstract: A method of recognizing a specific image includes detecting image features from the specific image and storing in a memory each of detected relevant image features, detecting relevant image features from an input image and selecting from the memory a portion corresponding to each of the detected relevant image features, generating a restoration image using portions selected in the selecting, and determining whether the generated restoration image matches with the input image by a matching process and recognizing that, when it is determined that the restoration image matches with the input image, the input image is the specific image.

Abstract: The efficiency of transporting articles is improved by smoothly delivering and receiving the articles between overhead transport vehicles traveling on different tracks. A transport system includes a first overhead transport vehicle that travels on a first overhead track; a second overhead transport vehicle that travels on a second overhead track and a third overhead track; and a first placement portion and a second placement portion that allow articles to be delivered and received between the first overhead transport vehicle and the second overhead transport vehicle. At least one of the first overhead transport vehicle, the second overhead transport vehicle, the first placement portion, and the second placement portion is provided with a rotator that rotates an article around a vertical axis.

Abstract: A lifting and lowering transportation device is capable of transporting articles between different delivery positions using transportation units, each including a lifting and lowering platform, a linear motor, and a chain. The lifting and lowering platform can pass through the delivery positions by moving along the circumferential track that is common to the transportation units. The linear motor generates the driving force to move the lifting and lowering platform along the circumferential track. The chain is loop-shaped and can circulate along the circulation track corresponding to the circumference path, and the linear motor moves the lifting and lowering platform by circulating the chain by the driving force generated by the linear motor. The circulation of the chain in each transportation unit is controlled independently of the other transportation units.

Abstract: A safety signal system includes portable remote controllers and a second receiver to control a stacker crane in accordance with an instruction received wirelessly from the portable remote controllers. For example, one of the portable remote controllers and the second receiver are able to establish a wireless connection by being in a pairing state in which the single second receiver is fixed as a connection partner of the one portable remote controller. After the wireless connection is established, the pairing state is continued in a state where the wireless connection is not able to be maintained before an operation to disconnect the wireless connection is performed. After the wireless connection is not able to be maintained, the wireless connection is re-established on a condition that power of both the one portable remote controller and the second receiver which are in the pairing state is turned on.

Abstract: An overhead transport vehicle travels along a rail on a ceiling of a building to transport a FOUP. The overhead transport vehicle includes a holding base and an upper shelf transfer device. The holding base holds at least one of a side surface and a bottom surface of the FOUP. The upper shelf transfer device moves the holding base at least upwardly while holding the FOUP. The upper shelf transfer device moves the holding base from the holding position in which the holding base holds and transfers the FOUP to the upper transfer position to transfer the FOUP, which is a different position from the holding position in a plan view and higher than the holding position.

Abstract: In a clamping device, the number of components for an article detection means is reduced. In a stacker, a tire is placed on the carry surface. The first gripping member and the second gripping member grip a side of tire placed on the carry surface and include an abutment surface having a bent portion and are capable of abutting with the side of tire. The first sensor and the second sensor include a light axis in a direction along the article. The controller moves the first gripping member and the second gripping member close to each other to the first position where the tire is not gripped. When the tire is detected with the first sensor and second sensor, the controller moves the first gripping member and the second gripping member close to each other to the second position where the tire is gripped.

Abstract: A moving mechanism moves a swing suppression unit in a traveling direction between an advanced position contacting a FOUP and a retracted position away from the FOUP by a drive of a drive unit. A buffer mechanism that allows the swing suppression unit that has been moved to the advanced position by the drive of the drive unit to move to the traveling direction after stopping the drive of the drive unit.

Abstract: A transport vehicle includes a pair of left and right vehicle body frames extending in a front and back direction; driving wheels disposed at a middle portion in the front and back direction of the pair of left and right vehicle body frames; auxiliary wheels disposed at a lower portion of an end portion in the front and back direction of each of the right and left vehicle body frames; lifter mechanisms disposed at an upper portion of an end portion in the front and back direction of each of the right and left vehicle body frames; a connection frame connecting upper portions of the right and left vehicle body frames to each other; and a lower frame disposable between the right and left vehicle body frames, the lower frame being removably fixed at lower portions of the right and left vehicle body frames.

Abstract: A suspended transport vehicle travels along a track supported by a ceiling and transfers an article to a shelf of a rack installed on a floor, the suspended transport vehicle has a driving part, a first traveling part and a second traveling part, a ceiling-side member that is suspended downwards from the first traveling part and the second traveling part and has a transferring part that transfers the article to the shelf of the rack, a floor-side member that is provided so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to the ceiling-side member and has travel rollers being contacting parts in contact with a first guide part installed on the floor, and a distance sensor that detects a relative distance between the ceiling-side member and the floor-side member.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a facility in an automatic warehouse system by using a maintenance terminal at a maintenance base includes generating a workplace image showing the automatic warehouse system, acquiring access information, generating a composite image by associating an object in the workplace image with the access information to access the corresponding facility, outputting the composite image to the maintenance terminal, receiving a selection of the object, and establishing a communication session between the corresponding facility and the maintenance terminal by using the access information associated to the selected object.

Abstract: Provided is a transport vehicle system SYS1 in which: an overhead transport vehicle includes a main body, a holder, a lift driver, and a lateral extender; a port pitch P is less than the overall length VL of the overhead transport vehicle in an extending direction D; and a first portion, which is raised or lowered by the lift driver moved in a lateral direction by a lateral extender, of an overhead transport vehicle stopped at a first position P1 on a first track for transferring an article W to a first transfer location S1 is offset in the extending direction D from a second portion, which is moved in a lateral direction by means of the drive of a lateral extender, of an overhead transport vehicle stopped at a second position P2 on the second track for transferring an article W to a second transfer location S2.

Abstract: A transport system includes a track, transport vehicles, an area controller, buffers, and a host controller. The area controller, when a number of the transport vehicles present within a control area is a predetermined number and when receiving a first transport command to convey an article from a transfer port to a transport destination outside the control area from the host controller, stores the first transport command and transmits a report that the first transport command is not able to be assigned to the transport vehicle to the host controller. The host controller, when receiving the report, when the buffer is present, transmits a command to delete the stored first transport command to the area controller, generates a second transport command to convey the article from the transfer port to the buffer, and transmits the second transport command to the area controller.

Abstract: A transfer system has a storage device including a plurality of shelves, each of the shelves including a placement portion in which an opening region is formed and on which the article is placed and an attaching portion provided according to a position of the placement portion; and a transfer device used for transferring the article, from the one side with respect to the transfer target shelf. The transfer device has a main unit portion attached to the attaching portion of the transfer target shelf from the one side, a moving portion including a grip portion and being capable of supporting the article and configured to move along the one direction, and an elevating portion configured to elevate the moving portion through the opening region of the transfer target shelf.

Abstract: It is possible to improve workpiece machining efficiency by efficiently receiving and delivering a workpiece from/to each workpiece holder and shortening a time required for workpiece conveyance. A workpiece conveyance system is a workpiece conveyance system that receives and delivers workpieces W to be machined to n spindles (workpiece holders, where n is an integer satisfying n?2) that hold and rotate the workpieces W, and includes a main loader including n+m main loader chucks (where m is an integer satisfying m?1) that receive and deliver workpieces from/to the n spindles or n relay loaders disposed corresponding to the n respective spindles to receive and deliver the workpieces W from/to the main shafts.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a controller configured or programmed to perform at least one of a first control to make a maximum acceleration when moving a FOUP to a front end side smaller than a maximum acceleration when moving to a back end side, a second control to make a maximum deceleration when moving the FOUP to the front end side greater than a maximum deceleration when moving to the back end side, a third control to make the absolute value of the maximum deceleration when moving the FOUP to the front end side greater than the absolute value of the maximum acceleration, and a fourth control to make the absolute value of the maximum acceleration when moving the FOUP to the back end side greater than the absolute value of the maximum deceleration.