Abstract: A purge device configured to purge the inside of a storage container storing a product with purge gas includes a plurality of placing units, each configured to place the storage container thereon, a plurality of supply pipes configured to supply purge gas to the storage container placed on the corresponding placing unit, a main pipe connected to the supply pipes and configured to supply the purge gas to the supply pipes, and an MFC configured to adjust the flow rate of the purge gas in the main pipe.

Abstract: A purge gas flow rate in a carrier that houses a smaller number of articles than a usual number is measured. The flow rate of the purge gas supplied from a nozzle of a shelf support in a rack is measured by a measurement device. The measurement device includes a substrate, a gas introduction section provided on a bottom surface of the substrate and configured to introduce the purge gas when coming into contact with the nozzle of the shelf support, while maintaining contact with the nozzle airtight with a load from the substrate, a circuit including a flowmeter that measures the purge gas flow rate and a power supply, and a plurality of legs movable in a vertical direction with respect to the substrate and defining a portion of the weight of the measurement device supported on the shelf support.

Abstract: A nozzle prevents obstruction of alignment of a container without using an actuator. When the nozzle contacts the container before an alignment member does, the container is guided by a guide surface of the nozzle, the nozzle is lowered by a load applied from the container so that the alignment member contacts the container to align the container, and purge gas is injected from the nozzle into the container.

Abstract: A purge device includes a supply flow rate adjuster, which adjusts a supply flow rate of a purge gas supplied to a storage container through a supply pipe, and an intake flow rate adjuster, which adjusts an intake flow rate of the purge gas taken in from an inside of the storage container through a discharge pipe to prevent the pressure of the inside of the storage container from becoming negative relative to an outside of the storage container. The supply flow rate adjuster adjusts the supply flow rate in at least two stages including a first flow rate and a second flow rate that is higher than the first flow rate. When the supply flow rate is the first flow rate, the intake flow rate adjuster sets the intake flow rate to zero.

Abstract: A purge apparatus is a purge apparatus that purges an inside of a storage container in which a product is stored, with a purge gas. The purge apparatus includes a discharge pipe that connects to a discharge port of the storage container to discharge the purge gas inside the storage container, a meter that measures an exhaust flow rate that is a flow rate of the purge gas flowing through the discharge pipe when the purging is carried out, and a detector that determines whether the purging is satisfactory, based on the exhaust flow rate measured by the meter.

Abstract: A gas injection device a placement portion on which a first or second container is placed, an ejection portion which is placed on the placement portion and ejects a purge gas, and a sealing portion protruding from the placement portion so as to surround a periphery of the ejection portion. The ejection portion, with the purge gas being injected into an inlet of the second container, does not come in contact with the inlet. The sealing portion, with the purge gas being injected into an inlet of the FOUP, does not impede the contact between the ejection portion and the inlet.

Abstract: A purge device includes an internal space defined by a chassis, and performs a purge process where an inside of a storage container F arranged in the internal space with an article being accommodated is purged with a purge gas. The purge device includes an air blower that is located outside the chassis, and sends air to an area where a gas including the purge gas in the internal space leaks through an opening in the chassis so as to diffuse the gas including the purge gas leaking from the opening.

Abstract: The safety of a worker is ensured, and the area in which purging is halted is limited to the minimum. The inner space of a device is divided into a working area and a non-working area, and purging of articles in the working area is halted and the purging of the articles in the non-working area is continued. The oxygen concentration in the working area is measured, and if the oxygen concentration of the working area decreases to a predetermined value or less, the purging of the articles in the non-working area is halted.

Abstract: A gas inlet made of an elastic material is prevented from getting scratched by contact with a nozzle, and adhesion between the gas inlet and the nozzle is prevented. A container is positioned, and a purge gas is introduced from the nozzle into a gas inlet hole in the center of a circular bottom surface of the gas inlet provided on the bottom of the container. The nozzle has a planar top end surface having a size equal to or greater than that of the bottom surface of the gas inlet, and a nozzle hole in the center of the top end surface, and has a size equal to or smaller than that of the gas inlet hole. The top end surface is roughened or includes a lubricant so that the top end surface and the gas inlet are mutually slidable.

Abstract: A purge gas flow rate in a carrier that houses a smaller number of articles than a usual number is measured. The flow rate of the purge gas supplied from a nozzle of a shelf support in a rack is measured by a measurement device. The measurement device includes a substrate, a gas introduction section provided on a bottom surface of the substrate and configured to introduce the purge gas when coming into contact with the nozzle of the shelf support, while maintaining contact with the nozzle airtight with a load from the substrate, a circuit including a flowmeter that measures the purge gas flow rate and a power supply, and a plurality of legs movable in a vertical direction with respect to the substrate and defining a portion of the weight of the measurement device supported on the shelf support.

Abstract: A stocker includes cells including a purge function and cells not including the purge function. A cell not including the purge function is easily changed to a cell that includes the purge function. The stocker includes a frame to which multiple cell supports not including a cleaning gas supplying nozzle are configured to be attached along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the base of a stocker unit is attached to the frame. The stocker unit includes a pipe configured to supply cleaning gas that is provided along the base, and multiple cell supports including the purge function that are attached to the base and are aligned along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. Each cell support preferably is configured to support a container and includes a nozzle that configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe to the container.

Abstract: In a transport system, a positioning hole is provided in an undersurface of a container. A positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning hole of the container is provided on a first load port of a manufacturing device. When a transport vehicle places the container onto the first load port, the placement position of the container is established by having the positioning protrusion of the first load port fit into the positioning hole. A second load port different from the first load port of the manufacturing device is provided on a storage device. A positioning protrusion is not provided on the second load port. A slip prevention member is provided on an upper surface of the second load port.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes, in order to automatically detect a type of optical adapter and to generate to display an excellent image according to an intended purpose by performing an image signal processing control corresponding to the type of the optical adapter, a signal processing circuit for performing various image signal processings on an image signal from an image-pickup element, a plurality of optical adapters each including an image-formation optical system, adapter discriminating section, and LED, the optical adapters being detachably and selectively provided to the distal end of the endoscope section, and an apparatus main body including an image processing section for performing predetermined signal processing on the image signal from the signal processing circuit, an adapter detection section for detecting the adapter discrimination section, and a controller for controlling the whole endoscope system.

Abstract: A storage (10) is provided with a supporting portion (11) capable of supporting a load (3), a horizontal driving portion (13) capable of moving said supporting portion back and forth in a horizontal one direction, a vertical driving portion (14) capable of moving said supporting portion back and forth in a vertical direction, and a rack (15) having a plurality of putting surfaces, each being capable of transferring said load mutually with said supporting portion, said putting surfaces being disposed at a plurality of stages in the vertical direction to each of which said supporting portion can access by said horizontal driving portion, one or more than one of said putting surfaces being disposed at a horizontal position to which said supporting portion can access by said horizontal driving portion. At least one of said putting surfaces functions as a port for unloading and loading said load.

Abstract: A storage (10) unloads and loads a load (3) with a transporting carriage (2). The storage is provided with a port capable of transferring said load from or to said transporting carriage; a plurality of rack portions (15) capable of accommodating or putting said load thereon; a driving device (19) capable of moving said load between said port and said plurality of rack portions, and mutually between said plurality of rack portions; and a controlling device (20) for controlling said driving device to (i) firstly move said load to an temporary rack portion for unloading, which is one of said plurality of rack portions, and (ii), after once accommodating or putting said load on said temporary rack portion, move said load to said port from said temporary rack portion, in case of moving said load from said plurality of rack portions to said port.

Abstract: A transfer system includes: a first shelf disposed to block an original transfer path from a transfer position at which the transporting vehicle transfers the transported object to the port and can transfer the transported object with the transporting vehicle; a second shelf which puts the transported object; a displacing device can reciprocate the transported object with respect to the first shelf and the port in a first direction, toward and away from the processing apparatus, and which can reciprocate the transported object at first direction position, which is away in the first direction by the transported object from the first shelf and the port, in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a communicating device which receives a transfer request from the transporting vehicle, which can transmit a transfer permission to the transporting vehicle.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus, includes: an explosion-proof unit that has an image pickup device that outputs photographed video images as video image signals; and an A/D converter that converts the video image signals into digitalized image signals; a control unit that controls the explosion-proof unit; and an energy limiting circuit that is provided at the control unit and that limits electrical energy of digital signals to satisfy intrinsic safety when sending and receiving of the digital signals, wherein the explosion-proof unit is connected to the control unit via the energy limiting circuit with a signal line.

Abstract: A scope unit 2 including a control unit 3 and an insertion portion 4 is attached to a main unit 1 via a scope connector 5. An optical adaptor 8 is attached to a tip of the insertion portion 4. The CCD 31, HICs 32, 33, and the thermistor 34 are attached to the tip of the insertion portion 4. A liquid crystal module 36 is attached to the optical adaptor 8. A barrier circuit 64 limits energy supplied to these components in a circuit disposed in the scope unit 2. By disposing the barrier circuit 64 in the scope connector 5, the portion extending from the barrier circuit 64 to, i.e., the control unit 3, the insertion portion 4, and the optical adaptor 8 are of the explosion-proof construction. Thus, these can be used in a hazardous explosive location. Thus, an endoscope apparatus that can be used in combustible gas or dust can be provided.

Abstract: In a transport system, a positioning hole is provided in an undersurface of a container. A positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning hole of the container provided on a first load port of a manufacturing device. When a transport vehicle places the container onto the first load port, the placement position of the container is established by having the positioning protrusion of the first load port fit into the positioning hole. A second load port different from the first load port of the manufacturing device is provided on a storage device. A positioning protrusion is not provided on the second load port. A slip prevention member is provided on an upper surface of the second loading load port.

Abstract: A stocker includes a main body provided with an opening; a port which is adjacent to the opening outside the main body and on which a FOUP can be placed; a plurality of rack portions arranged in one horizontal direction at each of a plurality of levels within the main body and configured such that articles moved by an internal movement apparatus can be put in place; a movable rack portion including a first buffer and a second buffer which are linked to each other; a shift mechanism that can be shifted between a first position where the first buffer is adjacent to the opening and a second position where the second buffer is adjacent to the opening; and a conveyor capable of moving the FOUP, via the opening, between the port and the first buffer or the second buffer positioned at a position adjacent to the opening.