Abstract: A roller conveyor for conveying an elongated article includes a row of drive roller units arranged in a conveyance direction of the elongated articles at intervals smaller than the length of a roller engagement portion of the elongated article. The drive roller units each includes a drive roller for frictionally driving the elongated article in the longitudinal direction thereof while engaging the roller engagement portion of the elongated article, a floating support frame rotatably supporting thereon the drive roller and being attached to a fixed member of the roller conveyor so as to enable an outer peripheral surface of the drive roller to move toward and away from the roller engagement portion of the elongated article, and an urging member for urging the floating support frame in a direction to force the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller against the roller engagement portion of the elongated article.

Abstract: A robot is provided to run so that a trace of the robot efficiently covers a given area according to the detection of a boundary of the area. A spiral pattern running, wherein a radius of the spiral is gradually increased, is started at a desired location in the area and is paused upon the detection of a boundary wall by sensors. Then, a random pattern running, which includes turning to depart from the wall and running forward, is conducted. After the turning has been repeated a predetermined number of times through simulations, the spiral pattern running is resumed at a location spaced from the last turning spot by a predetermined distance or a predetermined length of running time.

Abstract: When a difference between sums of distance measurements detected by the left and right side sensors of a robot 1 is greater than a reference value, the turn is performed to avoid an obstacle ahead. If the direction of the current turn is opposite to that of the previous turn, since the angle of turning in the current turn is decreased, the robot 1 prevents redundant turn and can thus run through between obstacles. If the (swivel) turn has been repeated a given number of times in a zigzag movement, an escape motion from the deadlock state is commenced which includes a backward running of a predetermined distance and a (swivel) turn following the backward running.