Abstract: A rack includes a plurality of floors each of which stores a plurality of bins for containing items, and allows a transportation robot to run along a surface thereof; and a plurality of support columns supporting the floors. Each of the floors includes a plurality of floor modules making up part of each of the floors, and each of the floor modules is detachably supported by the support column. This method for assembling a rack includes steps of: assembling each of the floors from a lower floor to an upper floor by attaching the floor module to the support column; and detaching the at least one floor module from the support column on each of the floors to secure a route for an operator to go down to the floor of the lower floor from the upper floor in the assembling step.

Abstract: There is provided an automated storage and retrieval system including: a rack storing a plurality of bins for containing items; a transportation robot transporting the bin in the rack; and a transportation elevator which moves in the rack and can transport the transportation robot. The rack includes a plurality of floors each of which stores each of the plurality of bins, and allows the transportation robot to run along a surface thereof, and the rack includes a plurality of support column modules forming a passage of the transportation elevator. Each of the support column modules extends between at least mutually neighboring floors, and one support column module is configured to be able to be coupled to the another support column module.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a gas chamber surrounding a piezoelectric element in an inkjet head; and a dry gas supply device configured to start supply of dry gas to the gas chamber before supply of electric power to the inkjet head is started, to continue the supply of the dry gas while the supply of the electric power to the inkjet head is continued, and to halt the supply of the dry gas after the supply of the electric power to the inkjet head is halted. While the dry gas supply device halts the supply of the dry gas to the gas chamber, a dry gas supply flow channel opening and closing device is closed to disconnect the dry gas supply device and the gas chamber, and a gas return flow channel opening and closing device is closed to disconnect the gas chamber and the external air.

Abstract: A damping device includes an elastic membrane that serves as a wall of a part of a supply channel between a reservoir unit that contains liquid and a droplet discharging unit that discharges the liquid in the form of a droplet; a wall portion provided outside of the supply channel such that a gas chamber is provided between the wall portion and the elastic membrane; and a resistance unit provided on the wall portion, the resistance unit providing ventilation and generating a resistance force against a movement of the elastic membrane.

Abstract: A damping device includes an elastic membrane that serves as a wall of a part of a supply channel between a reservoir unit that contains liquid and a droplet discharging unit that discharges the liquid in the form of a droplet; a wall portion provided outside of the supply channel such that a gas chamber is provided between the wall portion and the elastic membrane; and a resistance unit provided on the wall portion, the resistance unit providing ventilation and generating a resistance force against a movement of the elastic membrane.