Abstract: In a transport system, a plurality of carriers are attached to an endless belt configured to rotate in a circulating manner. The carriers hold articles for transportation. Each of the carriers includes an identification target for carrier identification. A plurality of stations are provided, and each of the stations includes a hand configured to load articles to or unload articles from the carriers and a sensor configured to detect the identification target at a predetermined position upstream of the hand along a rotation direction of the belt. The carrier is identified, and an appearance of the carrier is recognized based on a signal from the sensor to operate the hand for a desired carrier. The carrier can be identified using the sensor to detect the position of the carrier.

Abstract: An article transporting facility includes: a single predetermined path disposed along a plurality of article transfer locations and having a first end and a second end; a predetermined number of article transporting carriages traveling on the predetermined path; controlling means for controlling traveling of the predetermined number of article transporting carriages; wherein based on article transport request information for transporting an article from an original article transfer location to a destination article transfer location among the plurality of article transfer locations, the controlling means controls the traveling of the transporting carriages such that the controlling means selects an article transporting carriage from the plurality of article transporting carriages for causing the selected carriage to transfer the article from the original article transfer location to the destination article transfer location; and when a multiple request condition exists wherein a plurality of transport re

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of substrate loading stations, wherein the facility further includes a plurality of carrier supports coupled to a conveyor system adapted to move the carrier within the facility; (2) assigning one of the plurality of carrier supports to transfer the carrier from the first substrate loading station to the second substrate loading station such that at least one of a time required for the transfer is reduced and balance of the conveyor system is maintained; (3) moving the carrier from the first substrate loading station; and (4) moving the carrier to the second substrate loading station. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sorter conveyor having a plurality of conveyor units with article-supporting means, such as tilt trays or cross-belts, equipped with discharge means for discharging articles conveyed on the article-supporting means, which discharge means are driven by means, typically electric motors, controlled from the moving part of the conveyor. The control signals for controlling the operation of each of the discharge means are communicated by means of a common data communication network situated on the moving part of the conveyor so that control signals for each of the discharge means may be communicated to the moving part of the conveyor from one stationary position along the path of the conveyor. The invention further relates to a method of controlling the operation of such sorter conveyor.

Abstract: A device for processing slaughter animals or parts thereof, for example poultry, comprises a transport system with an endless track and a chain of chain elements which can be moved along the track, wherein a plurality of chain elements are set up as carriers to carry one or more slaughter animals and/or parts thereof. The device furthermore has a delivery station for delivering slaughter animals or parts thereof to the carriers of the transport system, one or more stations being set up along the track of the transport system to perform actions relating to the slaughter animals or parts thereof. The device furthermore has location means for determining the position of the chain in relation to the track, wherein the location means comprise an identifiable chain element which has an associated identification mark, and also an identification sensor set up along the track to detect each identifiable chain element, wherein the remaining chain elements in the chain are designed as unidentifiable chain elements.

Abstract: System capable of being governed entirely by a computer, which permits the complete handling of a warehouse right from the entry of merchandise from suppliers up to its delivery to the customer, in the quantities and types of merchandise that may be specified. This requires the systems of storage and cargo breaking of the invention, which are interconnected in such a way as to permit the integrated handling of goods in the warehouse.

Abstract: The machine for merging batches of objects, in particular batches (L1, L2) of mail items (A) previously ordered according to their order of distribution in the mailman's round, so as to constitute a single batch of mail items which is ordered according to the mailman's round comprises: a) destacking units (D1, D2), b) linked to the exit of each destacking unit, one or more dynamic-storage magazines (M11-M22) in each of which the items are moved in series around a storage loop, and interposed between each destacking unit and a dynamic-storage magazine, a device (DL1, DL2) for reading a classifying cue on each destacked object; c) a conveyor (CS) in which the mail items are moved in series and to which the dynamic-storage magazines are linked in parallel, d) a control/command unit (U) for the destacking units and for the dynamic-storage magazines which, on the basis of the classifying cues read by the reading devices, controls the transferring of the mail items from the destacking units to the dynamic

Abstract: A method for handling specific sample solutions for calibration and quality control by an automatic analytical apparatus in which a sample rack to hold calibrator bottles for required analysis items is set on a rack supply unit by an operator. Identification information of all calibrator bottles on the rack is read out, and data on corresponding calibrator samples are also stored. The operator enters analysis items to be measured, and a measuring channel to be used for calibration. Comparison is made between the planned number of requested calibrations and the number of permissible services to determine whether or not calibrator solution is sufficient. If it is determined to be insufficient, the required number of bottles are displayed according to the difference between the number of permissible services and the number of requests, thereby allowing the operator to add the required number of calibrator bottles.

Abstract: Method and apparatus (6) for conveying relatively voluminous packing units (4), such as containers, particularly containers in shipping ports, from a put-on location (10, 11) to a takeoff location (19), via conveying means (7, 8, 9) that are separately drivable and fixedly disposed and can displace a packing unit independently of further packing units. By a first conveying means, a displacement is imposed on a packing unit in a direction towards a connecting second conveying means, and the packing unit is thus transferred to the second conveying means, which maintains or changes the direction of the displacement during the transfer of the packing unit to a connecting third conveying means, depending on the pattern (10-18) in which the interconnecting conveying means that are present are arranged and the desired track over those conveying means between the put-on location and the takeoff location.

Abstract: The invention concerns one or two belts-staircases that link several storage levels. Each level has linear storage belts accessed through a belt that connect the level to the intake. The outlet from the storage belts ends in another belt connecting them to the outlet and again to the storage belts. At the intake to levels and storage belts there are divertors to divert merchandises into them. To control the flow, there are photoelectric cells and tag readers at the intakes and outlets of the various devices.

Abstract: A sample handling method, in which the information on the sample to be examined is transferred throughout the entire measuring process by transferring the sample cup. The sample cups are handled in two independently operating drums, in which case at least two different handling phases can be carried out simultaneously in the measuring device. The diagnostic measuring device comprises a cassette drum, on the circumference of which the sample cup cassettes containing sample cups have been placed. The sample cup is fed to the first handling drum, which is simultaneously an incubation drum. After that the sample cup is transferred to a second handling drum, where washing, drying, measuring and discharge of the sample cup are carried out. The drums have been placed near each other, overlapping so that the transfers of the sample cup can be performed directly from one drum to another by means of transfer plungers.

Abstract: Proposed is an out-processing facility for individual goods comprising a storage area (1) with a plurality of storage passages (7) for items to be out-processed extending parallel to one another therein, whereby only items of the same type are located in each passage (7), furthermore comprising a loading area (2) at one end of the storage passages (7) with means for in-loading new items into the storage passages (7) provided therefore, and furthermore comprising an out-processing area (3) at the other end of the storage passages (7) with removal devices (4) for the computer-controlled transfer of individual items out of the storage passages (7) onto downstream conveyor devices. An out-processing facility is to be provided with which high turn-around rates can be achieved and which is also suitable for the simultaneous processing of goods that are very different in terms of weight and size.