Abstract: For transferring an article to a desired position, even in a lateral transfer, a transfer system (100) allows transfer of an article (3) between a transport vehicle (2), which conveys the article (3) while travelling along a rail (1) provided on a ceiling, and a placement portion provided below the rail, in a lateral transfer manner. The transfer system includes a memory unit (101) and a controller (102). The memory unit stores (i) placement position information indicating a transfer position of the article when a transfer unit is to place the article onto the placement portion, and (ii) holding position information indicating a transfer position of the article when the transfer unit is to hold the article on the placement portion.

Abstract: In a transport system, two drop prevention barriers and a drop prevention mechanism are provided along a periphery of a load port where a transported article has been placed. The drop prevention barriers and the drop prevention mechanism are arranged on three sides around the periphery of the load port and a remaining side is open along a first direction. The drop preventing mechanism includes a retaining member rotatably supported on a bracket. When a transported article moves along the first direction, the retaining member is pushed by a transport device such that it rotates from an initial position and retracts in an opposite direction from where a path is located. When the transported article has been loaded onto the load port, the retaining member returns to the initial position such that it is arranged slightly above the transported article.

Abstract: A transported object storage system includes: a transporting carriage traveling along a track and transporting objects each having a gripped portion; a transported object storage rack having a rack board; a positioning plate on the rack board and on which the transported objects are put, having a plurality of groups of projections, each of the groups supporting respective one of the transported objects by engaging with a group of concave portions formed on a bottom surface of the respective one of the transported objects; and a plurality of code informations attached at predetermined intervals of the track. The transporting carriage is provided with a code information reading device for reading the plurality of code informations, a gripper for gripping the gripped portion and (iii) a correcting device for correcting a stop position of the transporting carriage along the track.

Abstract: A squeezable laminated discharge container of the delaminatable type in which the layers can be easily broken away from each other comprises a first check valve fitted to the neck and has an opening in a bottom plate. The base cup comprises a second check valve, and is fitted tightly around the container bottom cylinder. In this discharge container, it is sought to secure stable and strong fitting and to maintain tight contact stably, between the container and the base cup.

Abstract: A turntable has a plurality of intra-table tracks, each of which includes inlet and outlet end portion that is capable of communicating with a carrying-in and carrying-out side of the transporting track, respectively, wherein an object is transported from the inlet end portion to the outlet end portion, a table member on which the intra-table tracks are provided, a table rotating mechanism that rotates the table member to be stopped at an arbitrary rotation angle and a table rotation controlling mechanism. The table rotation controlling mechanism controls the rotation of the table member so as to set the transport direction of the transporting object transported through the intra-table tracks. The intra-table tracks are disposed in the table member so that when a transport direction of one of the intra-table tracks is set, the inlet end portion of any other intra-table tracks communicates with the carrying-in side of the transporting track.

Abstract: A branch portion 2c is provided with a branch track 6 for guiding a carrier 8 having been guided in a straight line direction so as to change the traveling direction thereof, and a linear track 5 for guiding the carrier in the straight line direction. A switching unit switches between the branch track 6 and the linear track 5 so as to guide the carrier 8 by one of the branch track 6 and the linear track 5 in accordance with the traveling direction of the carrier 8.

Abstract: A direction change device includes first and second transport passage 3, 4, in which one of the transport passages is disposed at the same vertical position as that of the first transport rail 16, the other is disposed below the one, a rotating unit 22 rotating the transport passages 3, 4 about their central points, a lift unit 23 lifting the transport passages 3, 4 in a vertical direction and a control unit 21. The control unit 21 controls such that when the FOUP 5 is carried out from the transport rail 16 to the transport passage disposed at the same vertical position as that of the transport rail 16, rotating the transport passages 3, 4 by about 90°, carrying out the FOUP 5 from one of the transport passages, and exchanging the respective vertical positions of the first and second transport passages 3, 4.

Abstract: The container of this invention is a squeezable laminated container of the delaminatable type in which the layers can be easily broken away from each other. The container comprises the first check valve fitted to the neck and has an opening in the bottom plate. The base cup comprises the second check valve, and is fitted tightly around the container bottom cylinder. In this discharge container, it is sought to secure stable and strong fitting and to maintain tight contact stably, between the container and the base cup. The container 1 is a squeezable and delaminatable bottle and is provided with a seal on the bottom cylinder 8. The neck 6 of the container 1 is opened or closed by the first check valve 18, and an opening 15 is formed in the outer layer 2 of the bottom cylinder 8 so that the opening 15 can be used as a port to introduce outside air into the interspace between the outer layer 2 and the inner layer 3.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a delaminated bottle, which has a base cup fitted tightly around the bottom cylinder of the container and in which a slit is opened easily for the introduction of outside air into the interspace between the outer layer and the inner layer. The container has a male screw on the outer wall of container bottom cylinder and the base cup has a female screw, which is disposed in the upper portion of the inner surface of cylindrical cup wall and is screwed on the container bottom cylinder. The base cup has also an upright pushing section disposed in the lower portion of the inner surface of the cylindrical cup wall, and this upright pushing section pushes up on the walled bottom plate so as to open a slit in the outer layer of the pinch-off portion when the base cup is engaged with the male screw. Thus, the upright pushing section pushes up on the underside of the walled bottom plate at the time when the base cup is firmly fitted around the container bottom cylinder.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a delaminated bottle, which has a base cup fitted tightly around the bottom cylinder of the container and in which a slit is opened easily for the introduction of outside air into the interspace between the outer layer and the inner layer. The container has a male screw on the outer wall of container bottom cylinder and the base cup has a female screw, which is disposed in the upper portion of the inner surface of cylindrical cup wall and is screwed on the container bottom cylinder. The base cup has also an upright pushing section disposed in the lower portion of the inner surface of the cylindrical cup wall, and this upright pushing section pushes up on the walled bottom plate so as to open a slit in the outer layer of the pinch-off portion when the base cup is engaged with the male screw. Thus, the upright pushing section pushes up on the underside of the walled bottom plate at the time when the base cup is firmly fitted around the container bottom cylinder.

Abstract: A process to produce models in layers is described, whereby a first material and then selectively a second material is applied in layers on a building platform and these two application stages are repeated until a desired pattern is achieved. The two materials form a solid if a suitable mixture ratio is used and the first material is a material mixture. The material mixture is at least partially prepared prior to each application stage.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to prevent outside air from entering the bypass pipe portion when air is taken in the vessel for the prevention of a negative pressure, and thereby to secure normal, smooth liquid-discharging operation in the upside-down position of the vessel. For this purpose, the vessel equipped with a manual pump is also provided with a change-over valve unit 20 to switch the liquid supply to the manual pump 1 in response to the change in the posture of the vessel from the upright position to the upside-down position, and vice versa, so that the vessel can be used to discharge forcibly the liquid even in its upside-down position. In such a vessel, the channel taking outside air into the vessel 50 for preventing a negative pressure has an opening to the vessel 50 at the rear of the cap unit 40.

Abstract: An automated guided vehicle includes a transporting portion having an upper surface and a driving device, the transporting portion being movable by the driving device; a transferring device provided on the upper surface of the transporting portion, the transferring device being capable of transferring a workpiece to or from an apparatus; and a mounting portion formed on the upper surface of the transporting portion, the mounting portion having at least two opening portions which allow an operation for transferring the workpiece. In the automated guided vehicle, photosensors are respectively arranged on the opening portions to detect an object which intrudes into a predetermined area or projects from the predetermined area, and a control device monitors a state of the photosensors and controls the transferring device or the driving device in accordance with the state of the photosensors.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an automated guided vehicle movable in all directions in which the cables will never be broken due to twisting, and it is unnecessary to perform a rest swing operation. The automated guided vehicle is movable in all directions and includes vehicle wheels and drive wheel mechanisms with drive mechanisms for driving the vehicle wheels, each of the drive wheel mechanisms being controlled by a steering mechanism so that the direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle is controlled with the vehicle body maintained unchanged in heading.