MURATA MACHINERY, LTD. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160137414 | Automated Warehouse and Operation Method for Same - An automated warehouse includes: a plurality of shelves each configured to accommodate an article; a loading-and-unloading port where the article is loaded and unloaded; a stacker crane configured to convey the article between the shelves and the loading-and-unloading port; and a traveling path on which the stacker crane travels. The stacker crane includes a traveling unit including a traveling drive wheel configured to roll along the traveling path, a mast vertically provided on the traveling unit so as to overlap the traveling drive wheel when viewed from a vertical direction, and a lifting platform arranged on one side in a travel direction with respect to the mast and configured to ascend and descend along the mast. | 05-19-2016 |
20160121166 | Training Apparatus - A training apparatus includes an operating rod, a strength detector, a motion position detector, a strength speed calculator, a boundary line arrival speed calculator, and a motion speed calculator. The operating rod moves a held limb. The strength detector outputs a strength component signal based on a magnitude of a strength component. The motion position detector detects a motion position of the operating rod. The strength speed calculator calculates a strength speed. The boundary line arrival speed calculator calculates a boundary line arrival speed whose absolute value is smaller as a boundary line distance is shorter. The motion speed calculator calculates a lower one of the strength speed and the boundary line arrival speed as the motion speed at which the operating rod should move. | 05-05-2016 |
20160120728 | TRAINING APPARATUS, CALCULATING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A training apparatus includes an operating rod, a strength detector, a motion position detector, a boundary direction speed calculator, a motion position predicting unit, and a motion speed calculator. The operating rod moves a held limb. The strength detector outputs a strength component signal based on a magnitude of a strength component. The motion position detector detects a motion position of the operating rod. The boundary direction speed calculator calculates a boundary direction speed. The motion position predicting unit calculates a predicted motion position. The motion speed calculator calculates a speed including the boundary direction speed as the motion speed when the predicted motion position is predicted to be outside the operating rod mobile region. | 05-05-2016 |
20160072419 | Moving Body System and Method for Driving Moving Body - In order to prevent the length of the movement path from being limited to the pitch of a magnet, a moving body (vehicle) includes two motors disposed in different positions in the moving direction. When one of the two motors is located in an irregular section in which the poles of magnets are not disposed regularly, a motor other than the one motor is located in a section which is not the irregular section. | 03-10-2016 |
20160072367 | Position Detection Device, Position Detection Method, and Moving Body System - A moving body includes a first position detector configured to detect a position of the moving body by detecting poles of magnets and a second position detector disposed in a different position from a position of the first position detector in a moving direction of the moving body, and configured to detect the position of the moving body. A controller of the moving body determines the position of the moving body on a basis of a position detected by the second position detector when the first position detector is located in an irregular section in which the poles of the magnets are not disposed regularly. | 03-10-2016 |
20160068372 | Transfer Device and Carrier System - A transfer device that holds down a space occupied by a pair of hooks includes: a cargo placement part having a cargo placement surface for placing a cargo; a pair of hooks, each of which is rotated around a base end thereof between a protruding position where a tip thereof is engaged with a handle by protruding above the cargo placement surface and a retracting position where the tip thereof separates from the handle by retracting below the cargo placement surface. A slide arm moves the pair of hooks in the transferring direction with respect to the cargo placement part. When the pair of hooks is located in the retracting position, the hooks are arranged so as to be vertically superimposed by falling down sideways in a mutually approaching direction. | 03-10-2016 |
20160062361 | AUTONOMOUS MOVING BODY - An autonomous moving body executes a mode in which an autonomous moving body: outputs a motor control amount from travel commands input by an operator; estimates the position of the autonomous moving body on an environment map, obtains position information of obstacles near the autonomous moving body, associates position information of the obstacles with times that the position information of the obstacles were obtained, stores the same in the storage unit as environment map restoration data, generates a travel schedule, and stores the same in the storage unit. In a replication mode, the autonomous moving body estimates the position of the autonomous moving body on the environment map, obtains position information of the obstacles near the autonomous moving body, reads the environment map restoration data that corresponds to the estimated position of the autonomous moving body, updates the environment map, creates a control amount for the motor, so as to travel on the updated environment map in accordance with the schedule, and inputs the same to the travel unit. | 03-03-2016 |
20160060036 | Travelling Vehicle System - To allow a travelling vehicle to travel more smoothly, a host controller of a travelling vehicle system includes a first determination part which determines whether or not a second track selected by a first travelling vehicle is the same as a second track selected by a second travelling vehicle, and an entry permission issuing part that issues an entry permission into a switching track to the second vehicle after checking passage of the first vehicle through the switching track when the second track selected by the first vehicle is different from the second track selected by the second vehicle, and issues the entry permission into the switching track to the second vehicle regardless of receipt or non-receipt of the passage report from the first vehicle when the second track selected by the first vehicle is the same as the second track selected by the second vehicle. | 03-03-2016 |
20160060035 | TRAVELLING VEHICLE SYSTEM - A travelling vehicle system that allows a travelling vehicle to smoothly pass through a switching region where a state of a track is switched. The system includes a switching device which switches a state of a track in the switching region, and a host controller which manages a travelling vehicle. The switching device includes a detector which detects the state of the track in the switching region, and a report device which is arranged along the track from the switching region toward the upstream side of the track and reports switching information showing the state of the track. The host controller includes a permission issuing part which issues to the travelling vehicle controller a passage permission, and the travelling vehicle controller includes a travelling control part which determines whether or not to stop before the switching region based on the passage permission and the switching information. | 03-03-2016 |
20160060033 | CARRIER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CARRIER SYSTEM - A carrier system capable of rapidly carrying a cargo includes: a circulation rail which is hung from above and includes a curved part; a plurality of carriers, each of which includes a travelling vehicle that travels along the circulation rail and a lift stage that is liftably hung on the travelling vehicle and serves to hold a cargo, and each of which lifts and lowers the lift stage while traveling along the circulation rail; a plurality of racks which are arranged in parallel along the circulation rail, and each of which includes a plurality of placement parts arranged in parallel in a vertical direction; and a controller which selects any of the plurality of placement parts as a storing position of the cargo and instructs the carrier that holds the cargo out of the plurality of carriers, about the storing position. | 03-03-2016 |
20160059871 | Travelling Vehicle System - A travelling vehicle system includes an intermediate track; first tracks; second tracks; a first switching track which connects the intermediate track and one of the first tracks to an other one track; and a second switching track which connects the intermediate track and one of the second tracks to the other one track. When a travelling vehicle travels on the intermediate track, a travelling vehicle controller determines before the travelling vehicle enters the first switching track that the travelling vehicle can enter both the first and second switching tracks in the case of determining that the first track on which the travelling vehicle is currently travelling is connected to the intermediate track and determining that the intermediate track is connected to the second track selected by the travelling vehicle. | 03-03-2016 |
20160045984 | Laser Processor and Hole-opening Processing Method - A laser processing machine employs a step of forming a pierced hole at a sheet material portion on an inner or outer side of a closed route when a processing to form a hole in the sheet material by cutting along a closed route is carried out. Following this pierced hole a step to perform a cutting process to cut to a predetermined position with a center of the laser beam traversing the closed route and a step of returning, in a condition in which laser irradiation is interrupted, a position of the laser processing head relative to the sheet material to assume a start position lying on the route during a step of cutting to the predetermined position and on the closed route are employed. Thereafter, a step of performing the cutting process from the start position along the closed route is carried out. | 02-18-2016 |
20160041005 | Magnetic Position Sensor and Position Detecting Method - The present invention enables to obtain an approximate position of a zero crossing point in a shorter time period. A magnetic position sensor detects, with an array in which multiple magnetic detection elements are arranged in a straight line, the zero crossing point at which the magnetic flux density from a pair of magnetic poles is zero in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the array. The magnetic detection elements are elements whose output changes in polarity when the direction of the magnetic flux density is inverted, and detect an approximate position of the zero crossing point by reading an output of every k-th magnetic detection element of the array (where k is an integer of 2 or greater). Then, the position of the zero crossing point is detected according to outputs of at least two magnetic detection elements on both sides of the zero crossing point. | 02-11-2016 |
20160031038 | Laser Processor and Laser Processing Method - A laser processing machine includes a first focal point change amount calculating unit for calculating the time difference between an irradiation period during which a laser beam is irradiated from a laser processing head and a down time, or calculating the amount of change in focal point position from a detected temperature of an optical system in its entirety. A second focal point change amount unit calculates the amount of change in focal point position relative to a temperature change of a protective glass. A focal point position correcting unit causes a processing machine main body control device to correct the focal point position with the use of the sum of the change amounts of focal point position calculated by the first and second focal point change amount calculating units. | 02-04-2016 |
20150375447 | FIBER STRUCTURE FORMING APPARATUS - A fiber structure forming apparatus includes a winding device, a tension applying device that applies tension to a fiber bundle that runs from the winding device to a core material, and a heating device that fuses thermoplastic resin bonded to the fiber bundle in a predetermined heating area in which the tension of the tension applying device acts on the fiber bundle. | 12-31-2015 |
20150353281 | STACKER CRANE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME - A stacker crane includes a lower carriage including a lower drive wheel, a lower travel motor, and a support located apart from the lower drive wheel; an upper carriage including an upper drive wheel and an upper travel motor that drives the upper drive wheel; and a mast fixed to the lower carriage, standing upward from the lower carriage and connected to the upper carriage, and including a transfer device capable of moving up and down. A displacement mechanism that raises and lowers the support is provided on the lower carriage between a grounded position supported by a lower rail and a retracted position lifted off the lower rail. The support is lowered to the grounded position when the stacker crane is installed between the lower rail and the upper rail and when the stacker crane is stopped for maintenance, and the support is raised to the retracted position when the stacker crane is operated. | 12-10-2015 |
20150345992 | DISPLACEMENT SENSOR AND DISPLACEMENT DETECTION METHOD - In a linear displacement sensor, two magnets with different polarities define one pitch of a magnetic scale. kn (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) sensor units configured to output a plurality of signals whose period is one pitch and whose phases with respect to the pitch are different are arranged along the magnetic scale in a one-pitch segment. Periodic errors with n periods per pitch of the sensor units are canceled out by averaging the phases from the kn sensor units. | 12-03-2015 |
20150332948 | TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND TRANSPORT METHOD - In a transport system, overhead travelling vehicles each including a hoist travel along an overhead travelling vehicle travelling route. A local vehicle travelling route is disposed under the overhead travelling vehicle travelling route and over load ports at a position higher than the load ports. Local vehicles each including hoist travel along the local vehicle travelling route. Buffers are disposed along the local vehicle travelling route. The local vehicle travelling route includes a plurality of local vehicle travelling routes that are provided in parallel, and the local vehicles are configured to diverge and merge from one local vehicle travelling route to another local vehicle travelling route. The local vehicles transport articles between a load port and a buffer under control of a controller. The overhead travelling vehicles, under control of the controller, transfer articles to and from a load port or a buffer and transport articles between a load port or a buffer and a section other than the local vehicle travelling routes. | 11-19-2015 |
20150329315 | TANK MANUFACTURING METHOD, HELICAL WINDING DEVICE, AND FILAMENT WINDING APPARATUS - In a tank manufacturing method using a helical winding device that winds fiber bundles around a mandrel, the device includes: a first guide ring having an opening to pass the mandrel therethrough and placed around the mandrel with an axial center of the mandrel being taken as a center; and a plurality of first guide portions placed in the first guide ring along a circumferential direction around the axial center and configured to supply first fiber bundles to the mandrel. The method includes: moving the mandrel relative to the first guide ring along an axial center direction along the axial center such that the mandrel passes through the opening; and winding the fiber bundles around the mandrel while relatively moving the mandrel in the moving, by the first guide portions supplying the first fiber bundles to the mandrel with the first guide portions swinging in the circumferential direction. | 11-19-2015 |
20150329298 | STORAGE SYSTEM IN THE CEILING SPACE AND STORAGE METHOD FOR GOODS THEREBY - A storage system in a ceiling space includes overhead traveling vehicles and a traveling route for the same, a shuttle carriage configured to transport goods to and from processing devices and a traveling route for the same, an OHT port to and from which the overhead traveling vehicles and the shuttle carriage both transport goods, and buffers that are provided in the ceiling space above the processing device and are for the placement of goods by the shuttle carriage. The traveling route for the shuttle carriage enables delivery and reception of goods by the shuttle carriage between the load port of the processing devices, the buffers, and the OHT port. | 11-19-2015 |
20150290749 | THERMAL CUTTING SYSTEM - A thermal cutting system includes a thermal cutting machine, a work lifting device and a component carry device. The thermal cutting machine includes a work support table including work support sections that support a sheet material workpiece from below and have a pin support shape or a serrated shape. The thermal cutting machine thermally cuts a component part from the sheet material workpiece then placed on the work support table. The work lifting device lifts the sheet material workpiece, which has been thermally cut, from the work support table. The component part carry device picks up the component part from the sheet material workpiece, which has been lifted by the work lifting device, and then carries it to the outside of the cutting machine. | 10-15-2015 |
20150283753 | FILAMENT WINDING APPARATUS - A filament winding apparatus includes a hoop winding unit that is configured to hoop wind a plurality of fiber bundles on an outer surface of a liner of a tank by rotating along a circumferential direction of the liner while moving back and forth along an axial direction of the liner. The hoop winding unit includes a fiber-bundle guide assembly that is configured to rotate along the circumferential direction of the liner during the moving back and forth of the hoop winding unit, and to guide the plurality of fiber bundles to the outer surface of the liner. The fiber-bundle guide assembly has a first fiber-turn section configured to change a moving direction of the plurality of fiber bundles from an approach direction to a turned direction perpendicular to the approach direction, wherein the plurality of fiber bundles are supplied to the fiber-bundle guide assembly in the approach direction with a state where the plurality of fiber bundles are arrayed in parallel with each other in a width direction perpendicular to the approach direction. | 10-08-2015 |
20150275408 | BRAIDER AND TUBE BODY - A braider and a tube body in which braids are arranged on an outer peripheral surface of a mandrel uniformly even if the diameter of the mandrel is uneven. A braider | 10-01-2015 |
20150259141 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transferring apparatus includes an elevating platform, a pair of side arms that are placed on the elevating platform and are each capable of stretching toward and retracting from both sides of a package, and a lower conveyor that is placed on the elevating platform. At least either one of the pair of the side arms is movable in a left-and-right direction orthogonal to a stretching-and-retracting direction of the side arm. The side arm that is movable in the left-and-right direction includes a base member that is movable in the left-and-right direction. The base member of the side arm includes a front guide leg-member and a rear guide leg-member that are provided to respective ends in the stretching-and-retracting direction of the base member on the lower side thereof. The lower conveyor is provided below a base body member between the front guide leg-member and the rear guide leg-member. | 09-17-2015 |
20150225216 | STACKER CRANE - First and second masts of a stacker crane are arrayed in an X direction and extend vertically. Connecting plates are mounted at lower portions and on both side surfaces, facing a Y direction, of the first and second masts, each including an upper portion fixed to the first or second masts, and a lower portion whose width in the X direction is greater than that of the upper portion. First and second lower hollow frames include a pair of hollow members disposed on both sides of the first and second masts in the Y direction and extending in the X direction and are fixed to the lower portions of the connecting plates. Travelling wheels are supported by the connecting plates and roll on a lower guide rail. | 08-13-2015 |
20150217935 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device includes an arm and a controller. The arm includes a first hook capable of entering and exiting a first abutment position, a second hook capable of entering and exiting a second abutment position, and a third hook capable of entering and exiting a third abutment position. After the articles placed on the first and second placement areas are unloaded onto the shelf, the controller retracts the arm so that the second hook is spaced apart from the front end of the article unloaded from the first placement area and the rear end of the article unloaded from the second placement area, and removes the second hook from the second abutment position with the second hook being spaced apart from the front end of the article unloaded from the first placement area and from the rear end of the article unloaded from the second placement area. | 08-06-2015 |
20150210519 | STACKER CRANE - First and second masts of a stacker crane are provided in a travelling vehicle main body to be spaced away from each other in an X-direction and extending in a Z-direction. First and second travel wheels are mounted to the travelling vehicle main body to be spaced away from each other in the X-direction, and roll on an upper surface of a lower guide rail. First and second drive wheel units are provided in the travelling vehicle main body to be spaced away from each other in the X direction. Each of the first and second drive wheel units includes a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. The first drive wheel is in contact with a first side surface of the lower guide rail, and the second drive wheel is pivotably attached to the travelling vehicle main body and urged toward the first drive wheel so that the second drive wheel is in contact with a second surface of the lower guide rail. | 07-30-2015 |
20150210472 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device includes a conveyor a slide arm, hooks, and a controller. The conveyor can is configured to transport an article placed on a top surface thereof in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the article transporting direction. The slide arm is configured to slide and move in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the article transporting direction. The hooks are attached to the slide arm and are configured to move between action position protruding toward the article placed on the conveyor in a direction crossing a sliding direction of the slide arm and a retract position to avoid contact with the article placed on the conveyor. The controller controls the conveyor to transport the article in the direction opposite to the article transporting direction so that an end of the article in the opposite direction of the article transporting direction reaches a position adjacent to the hook, and then moves the slide arm in the article transporting direction. | 07-30-2015 |
20150203295 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device includes a slide arm, a first hook capable of moving to an action position protruding toward an article and to a retract position to avoid contact with the article, a first end detection sensor for configured to detect an end position of the article in the sliding direction of the slide arm, and a controller configured or programmed to allow the slide arm to start to move, to allow the first hook to start to move from the retract position to the action position when a distal end position of the article is detected, and to allow the slide arm to slide in the opposite direction after the first hook reaches a predetermined position. | 07-23-2015 |
20150203294 | TRANSFERRING APPARATUS - A transferring apparatus includes a plurality of side-arm transfer units each provided with a pair of side arms each of which is capable of stretching toward and retracting from both sides of an object to be conveyed. The side-arm transfer units are arranged side by side in a left-and-right direction that is orthogonal to a stretching-and-retracting direction of the side arms. The side arms each include pinion gears, a rack gear, and a motor that drives the pinion gears. The motors positioned between the side-arm transfer units are connected to the pinion gears whose positions in the stretching-and-retracting direction are different from each other. | 07-23-2015 |
20150187218 | TRAVELLING VEHICLE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TRAVEL OF TRAVELLING VEHICLE IN CURVED SECTION - A ground controller in a travelling vehicle system stores travel permissions for a curved section that are provided to travelling vehicles, and deletes the travel permissions when the travelling vehicles leave the curved section. When a request for a permission to travel in the curved section is received from a travelling vehicle, the ground controller references the memory, provides a first travel permission if a permission to travel has not been provided to another travelling vehicle, and provides a low-order travel permission that permits travel with a lower speed than the first travel permission if a permission to travel has been provided to another travelling vehicle. | 07-02-2015 |
20150086254 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit configured to form an image on a paper with pigment, a heating unit configured to heat the pigment and the paper from one or both surfaces of the paper, a microwave generator, and a microwave applicator arranged downstream of the heating unit and configured to heat the pigment and the paper by applying microwaves generated by the microwave generator. | 03-26-2015 |
20150083338 | FIBER BUNDLE PROCESSING DEVICE - A fiber bundle processing device (filament winding device ( | 03-26-2015 |
20150053808 | Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding apparatus includes a tension detecting section, a cutting section and a gripping section. The tension detecting section is arranged on a path of a fiber bundle from a bobbin to a liner, and is configured to detect tension of the fiber bundle between the bobbin and the liner. The cutting section is configured to cut the fiber bundle connected to the bobbin. The gripping section is arranged upstream with respect to the cutting section in a travelling direction of the fiber bundle, and is configured to grip the fiber bundle cut by the cutting section. At this time, in a case where the tension of the fiber bundle detected by the tension detecting section is excessive, the cutting section cuts the fiber bundle and the gripping section grips a yarn end of the fiber bundle connected to the bobbin. | 02-26-2015 |
20140358338 | TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM - A traveling vehicle system includes a track network including tracks, a plurality of traveling vehicles, and a traveling vehicle controller. The controller is programmed and configured to include an abnormality detecting unit configured to detect an abnormality in a track on the downstream side of a diverging section including at least the track; and an entry determining unit configured to, in a case that a traveling vehicle that has just passed through the diverging section enters the track and a traveling vehicle that has immediately thereafter passed through the diverging section is about to consecutively enter the track, when the abnormality detecting unit has detected no abnormality, skip determination of whether the traveling vehicle is allowed to enter the track and, when the abnormality detecting unit has detected an abnormality, determine whether the traveling vehicle is allowed to enter the track. | 12-04-2014 |
20140346271 | BOBBIN UNWINDING DEVICE OF FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE - This bobbin unwinding device ( | 11-27-2014 |
20140346270 | Fiber Bundle Supply Device - This fiber bundle supply device ( | 11-27-2014 |
20140334497 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server stores a first routing target address, and stores a second routing target address in association with a virtual address assigned to the second routing target address. The relay server exchanges address filter information with a relay server belonging to a selected VPN group, and establishes a routing session with the relay server. The relay server determines whether or not there is an overlap between the routing target addresses. Upon determination that there is an overlap, the relay server assigns a virtual address to the second routing target address. The relay server uses the virtual address to perform communication between the relay server itself and a first routing target device. | 11-13-2014 |
20140321958 | ORIENTATION ADJUSTMENT DEVICE AND ORIENTATION ADJUSTMENT METHOD - A clean stocker includes an orientation adjustment device that includes a pivot device which pivots a placing base, a reticle carrier device which holds an article without changing an orientation of the article, and a controller which controls the pivot device and the reticle carrier device. The controller is programmed to cause the article to be held in a state in which the article is separate from the placing base held by the pivot device, the placing base in the state in which the article is separate therefrom to be pivoted from an initial position to an intended position, the article to be placed on the placing base which has been pivoted to the intended position, and the placing base having the article placed thereon to be pivoted from the intended position to the initial position. | 10-30-2014 |
20140308097 | FORKLIFT, AUTOMATIC WAREHOUSE USING SAME, AND CARGO HANDLING METHOD USING FORKLIFT - A forklift truck includes a lateral pair of side frames, a rear frame connecting rear end portions of the side frames, and a fork member disposed in a space between the pair of side frames in plan view so as to be lifted and lowered. The forklift truck includes a wheel unit provided in a leading end portion of each of the side frames and a central portion of the rear frame, the wheel unit including a steering motor, a running motor, and a driving wheel, and a battery provided in a central portion of each of the side frames. | 10-16-2014 |
20140263802 | FILAMENT WINDING APPARTAUS - A filament winding apparatus that connects a driven shaft to a driving shaft automatically includes a rotation unit which can rotate a driving shaft | 09-18-2014 |
20140249664 | MACHINE TOOL - A machine tool includes a displacement measuring unit to measure the displacement of a workpiece center-to-blade tip distance which is the distance between a center equivalent position of a workpiece support surface of a workpiece support unit and a blade tip equivalent position of a tool support unit in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a spindle axis. The displacement measuring unit measures the displacement by measuring the displacement of a continuous path between the center equivalent position of the workpiece support unit and the blade tip equivalent position and excluding a processing movement region. The displacement measuring unit includes workpiece side and tool side linear position detecting units. A measured value of the displacement measuring unit is used in correcting an X-axis command value. | 09-04-2014 |
20140237036 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND RELAY SERVER - In a relay communication system, if a request to perform a first remote operation on a first client terminal selected based on relay server information is received from a third client terminal, then a first relay server relays an operation event and image data, which are operation data of the first remote operation performed based on the first remote operation request, via an operation-performing session established between the second relay server and the first client terminal. If a monitoring request to monitor the first remote operation is received from a second client terminal, then the first relay server establishes a monitoring session with the second client terminal and transmits the operation data of the first remote operation via the monitoring session. As a result, a terminal other than the terminal that performs the remote operation or the terminal that undergoes the remote operation is capable of acquiring the content of the remote operation. | 08-21-2014 |
20140217975 | DELIVERY VEHICLE SYSTEM AND CHARGE METHOD FOR DELIVERY VEHICLE - In a system of charging a transport vehicle electric storage device immediately, transport vehicles under control of a ground controller and travelling using an electric storage device as a power source travel along a predetermined travelling route. Chargers including a rectifier rectifying alternating current into direct current, an electric storage device in the charger charged by the rectifier, and a charging coupler charging the electric storage device in the transport vehicle are disposed in locations along the travelling route. The vehicle includes a unit that report a position and residual capacity of the electric storage device to the ground controller, and the ground controller includes a charging management unit that selects a transport vehicle in accordance with the residual capacities of the electric storage devices in the transport vehicles and positions of the transport vehicles, selecting and specifying a charging coupler for the selected vehicle, and controlling so that the selected transport vehicle stops and charges at the specified charging coupler. | 08-07-2014 |
20140205399 | AUTOMATIC STORAGE RACK - An automatic storage rack is arranged along a route for a stacker crane. The automatic storage rack includes a rack apparatus body, and a plurality of shelves provided in the rack apparatus body. At least one of the shelves includes a base member fixed to the rack apparatus body, a placement member, and a height changing mechanism. The placement member is arranged to have an article placed thereon. The placement member is attached to the base member such that the placement member is movable relative to the placement member. The height changing mechanism is configured to change a height of the placement member relative to the base member when the placement member moves relative to the base member back and forth. | 07-24-2014 |
20140172196 | Transportation Vehicle System and Charging Method for the Transportation Vehicle System - A plurality of transportation vehicles travel with power from an energy storage member along a predetermined travel route under control of a ground controller. A charging area having charging equipment for charging the energy storage member of the transportation vehicle is provided in the travel route, and the transportation vehicles report a position and remaining capacity of the energy storage member to the ground controller. The ground controller controls a transportation vehicle having remaining capacity of a threshold value or less to travel to the charging area for charging the energy storage member, and controls transportation vehicles in the charging area to travel to positions outside the charging area in accordance with transportation requests. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169373 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server stores a routing apparatus belonging to a VPN group to which the relay server itself belongs, a second routing object address that is an address of the routing apparatus, and the like. The relay server stores a relationship of assignment of a virtual address to the second routing object address. The virtual address is an address that does not overlap with addresses of any other apparatuses. The relay server, upon receipt of a packet from a routing session, converts a source of the packet from an actual address into the virtual address and forwards the packet to a routing object device of the relay server itself. The relay server, upon receipt of a packet from the routing object device of the relay server itself, converts a destination of the packet from the virtual address into an actual address and forwards the packet to the routing session. | 06-19-2014 |
20140163721 | ARTICLE LOADING SYSTEM, ARTICLE LOADING AND CARRYING-OUT METHOD - An article loading system for loading and carrying out, in one of a plurality of containers each having identification information, articles of plural types which correspond to the container, includes a holding shelf which temporarily holds the containers that are carried in, container placement units on each of which the container into which an article is to be loaded by a worker is placed, a transporting unit which transports an arbitrary container between the holding shelf and an arbitrary container placement unit, and a control unit programmed to control the transporting unit. | 06-12-2014 |
20140144859 | Overhead Transport Carriage - An overhead transport carriage 1 comprises a body 4 containing an object 30 and traveling along a traveling rail 3, a lifting mechanism 6 including a holding unit 8 holding the object 30 and a lifting unit 7 moving the unit 8 up and down with respect to a predetermined position P at which the object 30 is contained, an anti lid-dropping-off member 20 facing a lid 31 of the object 30 when the unit 8 is located at the position P, and a moving mechanism. The mechanism 10 moves the member 20 in response to the motion of the unit 8 so that the member 20 is located at an anti dropping-off position when the unit 8 is located at the position P, and the member 20 is located at the escape position when the unit 8 moves with respect to the position P. | 05-29-2014 |
20140142792 | MOVING BODY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TRAVEL OF MOVING BODY - A detector detects positions of a moving body in a travel direction at a position shifted from a center of control of travel of the moving body in a direction different than the travel direction of the moving body. Positions of the center of control in the travel direction relative to the output of the detector is stored in a storage unit for at least a curved section of a travel route of the moving body, and the travel of the moving body is controlled by a controller, based on the positions of the center of control read out from the storage unit. | 05-22-2014 |
20140140794 | Drawer Device and Storage Device - A drawer device and a storage device improving workability are provided. A drawer device | 05-22-2014 |
20140119857 | Automated Material Handling System for Semiconductor Manufacturing Based on a Combination of Vertical Carousels and Overhead Hoists - A highly efficient Automated Material Handling System (AMHS) that allows an overhead hoist transport vehicle to load and unload Work-In-Process (WIP) parts directly to/from one or more WIP storage units included in the system. The AMHS includes an overhead hoist transport subsystem and at least one vertical carousel stocker having a plurality of storage bins. The overhead hoist transport subsystem includes an overhead hoist transport vehicle traveling along a suspended track defining a predetermined route, which runs adjacent to the carousel stocker, thereby allowing the overhead hoist transport vehicle to access a WIP part directly from one of the storage bins. At least one of the storage bins includes a movable shelf operative to move laterally from a first position along the carousel path to a second position near the overhead hoist transport vehicle. | 05-01-2014 |
20140119793 | Microwave Heating Device and Image Fixing Apparatus Using the Same - A microwave heating device enhances heating efficiency by a simple configuration. A microwave is led from one end of a conductive heating chamber in direction d | 05-01-2014 |
20140117612 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device includes an image recording unit for recording an image on a recording sheet, an upper paper feed cassette storage unit arranged above the image recording unit, a lower paper feed cassette storage unit arranged below the image recording unit, a lower paper feed cassette stored in the lower paper feed cassette storage unit, and an upper paper feed cassette stored in the upper paper feed cassette storage unit. The upper paper feed cassette has a larger lateral length than that of the lower paper feed cassette. | 05-01-2014 |
20140115172 | COMMUNICATION TERMINAL DEVICE - In a communication terminal device, a receiving unit establishes a non-persistent connection with an Operating System OS of a computer and receives a request from the OS via the non-persistent connection. A response generating unit generates data for response to the request. A transmitting unit transmits the data for response to the OS via the non-persistent connection after a predetermined waiting time elapses from reception of the request. The non-persistent connection is established every time the OS transmits the request and is closed by the OS's reception of the response. | 04-24-2014 |
20140109516 | LOAD PORT DEVICE, TRANSPORT SYSTEM, AND CONTAINER CARRYING OUT METHOD - A load port device conveys a container including a gas port to an outer conveyor unit by using a ceiling transportation vehicle. The load port device includes a conveyor, a purging device, and a stocker controller. The conveyor extends to the outer conveyor unit. The purging device is arranged near the outer conveyor unit, and includes a gas supply nozzle to supply purge gas into the container while connected to the gas port, and a first lifting mechanism that moves the gas supply nozzle toward or away from a gas supply port. The stocker controller controls the purging device to supply the purge gas into the container, and to stop supplying the purge gas into the container based on an arrival of the ceiling transportation vehicle to the outer conveyor unit. | 04-24-2014 |
20140107833 | PICKING AND ASSORTING SYSTEM - In a picking and assorting system, a control unit makes, based on a volume of buckets, a picking schedule for one batch to be picked from article racks into the buckets. If there are articles that have been loaded into the buckets based on the picking schedule for one batch but remain in trays after sorting, then a warehouse control unit causes carriers to move work-in-progress trays from work shelves to a third tray storage space. | 04-17-2014 |
20140100735 | Guided Vehicle System and Guided Vehicle Travel Schedule Generation Method - A traveling schedule of a guided vehicle is generated for use in a guided vehicle system for transporting articles between load ports by a plurality of guided vehicles traveling with articles carried thereon along a predetermined traveling route. A traveling schedule is created separately for each guided vehicle, disregarding interferences with other guided vehicles, the traveling schedules including a string of velocity control points representing positions and times at which guided vehicles accelerate or decelerate on the traveling route. For both newly created traveling schedules and traveling schedules from which interferences have been eliminated, interferences between the guided vehicles are detected from relative positions between the guided vehicles at the velocity control points. The traveling schedules of following guided vehicles are modified to eliminate the detected interferences, and the schedules are stored. | 04-10-2014 |
20140100717 | Guided Vehicle System and Guided Vehicle Control Method - In a guided vehicle system, articles are transported between load ports by a plurality of guided vehicles traveling with articles carried thereon along a predetermined traveling route. A guided vehicle system controller communicates with a superordinate controller and guided vehicles, and creates traveling schedules representing positions and times at which the guided vehicles travel, disregarding interferences with other guided vehicles. For both newly created traveling schedules and traveling schedules from which interferences have been eliminated, interferences between the guided vehicles are detected, and the traveling schedules of the guided vehicles is modified so as to eliminate the detected interferences. The traveling schedules from which interferences have been eliminated interferences is stored. Also, the positions of the guided vehicles are stored based on data received from the guided vehicles, and the traveling schedules is modified. | 04-10-2014 |
20140099145 | Image Recording Device - An image recording device includes a pressing force adjusting mechanism that adjusts a pressing force of a developing roller that is provided by an elastic member, against a photoconductive drum. This provides for modification and adjustment of the pressing force of the developing roller that is pressed against the photoconductive drum by the biasing force from the elastic member. Consequently, even where the developing rollers have various radius dimensions or where elastic force of the elastic member changes, adequate pressing force depending on each case can be applied to the developing roller, thereby improving the recorded quality of the image recording device. | 04-10-2014 |
20140093296 | Cleaning Unit and Image Forming Device Having the Same - A cleaning unit includes a cleaning member, a storage case, and a transport member. The cleaning member collects waste toner on a surface of the photoconductive drum. The storage case successively stores the waste toner collected by the cleaning member through an inlet. The transport member is provided in the storage case, and rotates to transport the waste toner in the storage case in a rotary axis direction. The transport member rotates with a central portion in the rotary axis direction protruding toward the inlet further than both side portions. | 04-03-2014 |
20140090575 | RAIL GUIDED VEHICLE SYSTEM - A rail guided vehicle system includes a rail that includes a first main rail, a second main rail, and a connection rail, and vehicles. Each vehicle includes a diverging roller supporting member that supports a pair of first and second diverging rollers such that the first and second diverging rollers shift, and a position stabilizing roller supporting member that supports position stabilizing rollers such that the position stabilizing rollers do not shift. The rail includes a first diverging guide configured to guide the first diverging roller, a second diverging guide configured to guide the second diverging roller, and a position stabilizing roller guide configured to guide the position stabilizing rollers in the no-guide zone where the diverging guide is absent. | 04-03-2014 |
20140090574 | MOVABLE PLATFORM, OVERHEAD TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR VERTICALLY MOVING OVERHEAD TRAVELING VEHICLE - A moving carriage that moves an overhead travelling vehicle that has been unloaded to the ground, includes a frame including travelling wheels, elevating mechanisms provided at a plurality of locations on the frame along a longitudinal direction of the frame, a track for an overhead travelling vehicle, the track being supported by the elevating mechanisms so as to be lifted and lowered and being configured to allow the overhead travelling vehicle to be transferred to and from another track, and a synchronizing mechanism that synchronizes the elevating mechanisms to lift and lower the track by the same or substantially the same amount. | 04-03-2014 |
20140085661 | COMMUNICATION TERMINAL DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND IMAGE TRANSMITTING METHOD - A communication terminal device is connected to an information processing device in a communicatable status and includes a display unit, a storage unit, an acquiring unit that acquires display image data displayed on the display unit and stores the acquired display image data in the storage unit, a transmitting unit that transmits the display image data stored in the storage unit to the information processing device in response to a request from the information processing device, a deciding unit that decides whether the communication terminal device is maintained in a preset specific status or not, and an inhibiting unit that inhibits the display image data displayed on the display unit from being transmitted to the information processing device when the deciding unit decides that the communication terminal device is maintained in the preset specific status. | 03-27-2014 |
20140072392 | AUTOMATIC STORAGE SYSTEM - An automatic storage system includes a front rack and a rear rack, a stacker crane, and a crane controller. The front rack and the rear rack include a plurality of shelves located in a right and left direction and in an up and down direction. Each of the shelves includes a near-side storage portion and a far-side storage portion arranged in the depth direction. The stacker crane includes an elevator is provided at the travelling vehicle such that the elevator can move up and down. The crane controller is programmed to control the elevator to move vertically between an upper stop position and a lower stop position when the article transferred between the slide fork and the shelves. The upper stop position includes a far-side upper stop position corresponding to the far-side storage portion and a near-side upper stop position corresponding to the near-side storage portion. The crane controller controls the elevator such that the far-side upper stop position is higher than the near-side upper stop position. | 03-13-2014 |
20140072390 | PLATE MATERIAL PROCESSING SYSTEM - A plate material processing system includes a plate material processing machine and a loader. The plate material processing machine holds a front end portion of an unprocessed plate material by a work holder and moves the unprocessed plate material on a table forward, backward, leftward and rightward. The loader includes: a plate material attaching unit; and a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the plate material attaching unit on a predefined arc-shaped trajectory while maintaining the plate material attaching unit in a constant orientation as viewed in a planar manner. When the plate material attaching unit is at a foremost position, the work holder is positioned to the other side of the left and right sides relative to a processing head, away from the unprocessed plate material loading position side, thereby preventing the work holder and the plate material attaching unit from interfering with each other. | 03-13-2014 |
20140072003 | LASER PROCESSING MACHINE - A laser processing machine includes a plurality of collimating lenses to convert a laser beam from a laser oscillator, which have been emerged from a point of emergence of a transmission optical fiber, into parallel rays of light, a condensing lens to condense the laser beam and then radiate it onto a work, and a nozzle positioned on one side of the work remote from the condensing lens. The distance from the point of emergence to the tip of the nozzle remains unchangeable. The collimating lenses are spaced from each other in a direction parallel to an optical axis. A switching device switches the position of each of the collimating lenses in the orthogonal direction so that the center of one of the collimating lenses may be aligned with a center of the laser beam. The collimating lenses have respective focal lengths that are different from each other. | 03-13-2014 |
20140067109 | WORKPIECE-PROCESSING SYSTEM - A workpiece processing system may be provided which includes an installation having a plurality of process units integrated such that the units are reconfigurable on unit-by-unit basis, and also includes a loader that transfers a workpiece. Each of the units has one or more positioning point for the loader, at which the loader may be positioned by a controller. Each one of the units includes a marker indicating a reference point in the each one of the units. A reader in the loader reads the marker to determine a location of the reference point. The controller includes memories which store a relative location of the positioning point(s) and the location of the reference point determined by the reader in the each one of the units. | 03-06-2014 |
20140056671 | AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE - A clean stocker includes a storage rack storing an article, a load port holding a case and including a loading and unloading space to load and unload the article to and from the held case, a transferring apparatus including a holding space to hold the article and transfer the article between the holding space and the storage rack and between the holding space and the case held in the loading and unloading space, the holding space being kept clean, and a first shield closing the holding space and traveling together with the transferring apparatus. | 02-27-2014 |
20140056305 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server presents, to an operator having made a login request, a list of connecting-target apparatuses to which the operator is able to connect. When, for example, a client terminal is selected from the list, the relay server stores, as address filter information of the relay server, an address of a communication apparatus operated by the operator, and transmits the address filter information to the client terminal. The relay server stores address filter information received from the client terminal. Then, a routing session for a VPN is established between the relay server and the client terminal, and routing of a packet is performed based on the address filter information. | 02-27-2014 |
20140052827 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A center terminal includes a target terminal list storing unit that registers a target terminal and an operator list storing that registers an operator ID and. Each of the maintenance terminal and the target terminal includes a center terminal information storing unit that registers a center terminal. The center terminal makes a connection job that associates a predetermined target terminal with the operator ID and registers the connection job to the center terminal. One of maintenance terminals receives the specific operator ID and the password from a connected client terminal and sends the center terminal an indication whether or not the maintenance terminal can log in to the center terminal, and, if the logging-in is granted, the maintenance terminal is configured to receive the connection job assigned to the operator ID from the center terminal and notify the operator. If the maintenance terminal receives a selection of the connection job from the operator, the maintenance terminal sends an inquiry to the center terminal whether or not the maintenance terminal can execute the connection job. If the connection job is allowed to be executed, the maintenance terminal can be connected to the target terminal included in the connection job. | 02-20-2014 |
20140047995 | Overhead Transport Vehicle - An overhead transport vehicle comprises a travelling unit that travels on a rail, a conveying unit that moves and conveys an article and a swing inhibiting member that moves between a pushing position and a retracting position. The swing inhibiting members includes a pushing member that pushes a side surface of the article, lever members that support the pushing member at a first end side and are pivotally supported by the conveying unit at a second end side, and a biasing member that biases the pushing member toward the article. The pushing member includes a main body member pivotally supported by the lever members, slide members slidably supported by a main body member, and elastic bodies arranged between the main body member and the slide member that slide elastically the slide member. | 02-20-2014 |
20140039769 | TRAVELLING VEHICLE - In a stacker crane, servomotors are travel motors causing a vehicle main body to travel, and include brakes. A travel controller includes a malfunction detecting unit to detect malfunctions in the servomotors, and a deceleration pattern storage unit to store deceleration patterns based on combinations of some of the servomotors. If a malfunction with a servomotor is detected by the malfunction detecting unit, the malfunctioning servomotor is no longer subject to deceleration control, a deceleration pattern including a combination of normal servomotors is read from the deceleration pattern storage unit, and then braking control is performed by using this deceleration pattern. | 02-06-2014 |
20140037413 | Suction Chuck and Workpiece Transfer Apparatus Including the Same - Provided is a suction chuck that is lightweight and that sucks and releases a thin plate workpiece in such a manner that the thin plate workpiece is not in contact with an edge of the chuck. A suction chuck according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having a flat plate shape, and an opposing surface. Compressed air passages are formed within the main body. The opposing surface is a surface of the main body at the side facing the workpiece. The opposing surface has a plurality of recesses formed therein. The plurality of recesses serve as a sucking element for generating a negative pressure by ejecting the compressed air. The opposing surface is formed with a shape similar to the shape of the workpiece (or with a shape that corresponds to the shape of the workpiece being offset outward) such that the shape of the opposing surface is able to completely cover the shape of the workpiece when seen along a direction perpendicular to the opposing surface. The recesses are arranged such that all of the recesses are coverable by the shape of the workpiece when seen along the direction perpendicular to the opposing surface. | 02-06-2014 |
20140034786 | Rail Guided Vehicle System - In a rail guided vehicle system, unnecessary slowing down and stopping of a vehicle passing through a divergence point and a merge point is avoided. The rail guided vehicle system comprises a rail | 02-06-2014 |
20140030051 | STACKER CRANE - A stacker crane includes a truck frame, a mast erected on the truck frame, and a platform raised and lowered along the mast, the platform including first and second rollers, the mast including a roller abutting member in which a first plate material is folded to define a first abutting surface onto which the first roller abuts and a second abutting surface onto which the second roller abuts, a back-side member made of a second plate material and arranged opposite to the roller abutting member, and a coupling member coupling the roller abutting member and the back-side member, the coupling member including first and second coupling surfaces which are plate-shaped and are opposite to each other, wherein the thickness of the first and second coupling surfaces is smaller than the thickness of the first plate material. | 01-30-2014 |
20140018955 | PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY IMPROVING APPARATUS, PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY IMPROVING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - A production efficiency improving apparatus includes a first communicating means for communicating information with a plurality of processing apparatuses that process objects, and a second communicating means for communicating conveyance control information, with a conveyance system comprising conveyance apparatuses for conveying the objects between the plurality of processing apparatuses. A means for predicting, on the basis of information communicated by the first communicating means, the conveying timing at which the processing apparatus needs to send out processed objects, and the conveying timing at which the processing apparatus needs to bring in unprocessed objects. A generating means generates the control information such that the conveyance apparatus will arrive at the processing apparatus that is the destination of the communication of information at the predicted timing predicted by the means for predicting. | 01-16-2014 |
20140002861 | NETWORK PRINTING SYSTEM, PRINTING APPARATUS, PRINTING DATA TRANSMITTING DEVICE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM | 01-02-2014 |
20130346487 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server mainly includes a VPN group information storage unit, an address filter information storage unit, and a communication control unit. The VPN group information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store information concerning routing apparatuses that define a VPN group and a routing session. The address filter information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store address filter information in association with identification information of the routing apparatus. The communication control unit is arranged and programmed to perform controls of: upon detection of that an address included in the address filter information overlaps, causing a translated address to be associated with the overlapping address, and transmitting the translated address to another routing apparatus; and performing routing based on the address filter information and the translated address. | 12-26-2013 |
20130345604 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - An upper limb training apparatus for training upper limbs of a trainee comprises a training apparatus main body that includes an operation rod to be operated by the trainee by hand. A chair is positioned in a right or a left arm training position relative to the training apparatus main body. A connecting mechanism integrally connects the chair and the training apparatus main body and allows the chair to move between the right and the left arm training positions while keeping a condition in which the chair is connected to the training apparatus main body. | 12-26-2013 |
20130338549 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - In an upper limb training apparatus, an exterior cover covers first and second gimbal mechanisms. The exterior cover includes a fixed cover fixed to a fixed frame, and first and second moving covers. The first moving cover is fixed to and moves together with an operation rod. The second moving cover is fixed to and moves together with a movable frame. The second moving cover is arranged between the first moving cover and the fixed cover so as to be able to move relative to both of the first moving cover and the fixed cover. | 12-19-2013 |
20130338548 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - An upper limb training apparatus comprises an operation rod supported by a frame such that the operation rod can tilt in all directions. The operation rod is operated by a trainee by hand. A tilting operation force detecting mechanism disposed between the frame and the operation rod includes a load member that is displaced and generates a predetermined elastic resistance force corresponding to the tilting amount regardless of the tilting direction when the operation rod is tilted, and a vector detecting section that detects the tilting operation force and the tilting direction of the operation rod due to displacement of the load member. | 12-19-2013 |
20130338547 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - An upper limb training apparatus for training the upper limb of a trainee includes a fixed frame, a movable frame, a tilting resistance applying mechanism, an operation rod, and a Z axis motor. The fixed frame can be placed on a floor surface. The movable frame is supported by the fixed frame to be able to tilt in all directions from a first tilting center. The tilting resistance applying mechanism applies resistance to the tilting action of the movable frame. The operation rod is attached to the movable frame, and is operated by the trainee by hand. The operation rod can extend and contract in the vertical direction toward or away from the floor surface. The Z axis motor is arranged in a position closer to the floor surface than the first tilting center, and extends and contracts the operation rod. | 12-19-2013 |
20130333532 | MACHINE TOOL SYSTEM - The machine tool system includes a machine tool, a loader and a support frame structure. The machine tool includes a bed and a processing equipment disposed above the bed to process a work. The loader includes a guide unit disposed above the machine tool and a movable body movable along the guide unit to load and unload the work relative to the processing equipment. The support frame structure includes left and right stands installed on a floor surface at left and right sides of the bed to support the guide unit from below and a reinforcement member inserted in a throughhole. which is provided in the bed so as to extend in a leftward and rightward direction, in a non-contact fashion without contacting an inner face of the throughhole, with left and right ends thereof connected to vertically halfway portions of the associated stands. | 12-19-2013 |
20130331743 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - In an upper limb training apparatus, a movable frame is supported by a fixed frame placed on a floor surface such that the movable frame can tilt in all directions. An operation rod including an operation rod main body and an attachment fixed portion is attached to the movable frame and can extend and contract. The attachment fixed portion, to which an attachment is fixed, is attached to the tip of the operation rod main body and includes an elastic member that absorbs forces in any directions other than the axial direction relative to the operation rod main body. The axial displacement detecting section can thereby grasp just the axial force applied to the operation rod by detecting the displacement of attachment fixed portion in the axial direction. | 12-12-2013 |
20130331741 | Upper Limb Training Apparatus - An upper limb training apparatus includes a training apparatus main body that includes a base frame, and an operation rod to be operated by a trainee by hand. A chair is positioned in a right or in a left arm training position relative to the training apparatus main body. A monitor stand extends upward from the base frame. A monitor arm is provided in the monitor stand, and supports the monitor such that the position of the monitor can be adjusted in both right and left directions. | 12-12-2013 |
20130320129 | Filament Winding Device - A filament winding apparatus for winding a fiber bundle on the surface of a liner is configured so that the end position of a fiber layer of the dome section of the liner is easily corrected. A control section stores a series of operations for winding the fiber bundle on the liner as winding data including steps, controls a fundamental operation which winds the fiber bundle on the basis of the winding data, and also controls a correction operation which corrects the end position of the fiber layer on the basis of an actual value and a design value when forming a fiber layer by winding the fiber bundle on the dome section of the liner. | 12-05-2013 |
20130317675 | TRANSPORT CARRIAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RUNNING OF TRANSPORT CARRIAGE - In a transport carriage system, multiple transport carriages travel along a common track and each transport carriage includes a servo system that performs servo control with respect to traveling of the transport carriage, and an intermediate instruction of the servo system is generated in a predetermined cycle by an acceleration/deceleration control unit of a traveling control unit. A smoothed instruction is generated for the predetermined cycle by smoothing the generated intermediate instruction over a plurality of cycles with a smoothing unit of the traveling control unit, and the servo system is controlled based on the smoothed instruction that was generated. | 11-28-2013 |
20130315249 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server performs control to establish a routing session between the relay server and another routing relay server, control to establish a sub routing session between the relay server and a sub routing apparatus, and a packet forward control to forward a received packet via the routing session or the sub routing session. The packet forward control is such a control that, when a destination of a packet is associated with the sub routing apparatus of the relay server in a content stored in a sub address filter information storage unit, the packet is forwarded to the sub routing apparatus, while otherwise the packet is forwarded to the destination. | 11-28-2013 |
20130306783 | Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding apparatus in which a fiber bundle easily passes through a fiber supplying guide. The filament winding apparatus winds a fiber bundle around a liner, and includes a plurality of fiber supplying guides each supplying a fiber bundle to the liner. Each of the fiber supplying guides includes a bottom portion that guides a wide surface of the fiber bundle, side portions respectively disposed along both sides of the bottom portion, and an opening portion formed between the side portions. | 11-21-2013 |
20130282802 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND RELAY SERVERS - A virtual network is dynamically created when a relay communication system is constructed including a plurality of relay servers that communicate with each other. In the relay communication system, VLAN client terminals which define a VLAN group share VLAN group information. In addition, a VLAN session is established between the VLAN devices as activatable VLAN client terminals among the VLAN client terminals based on the VLAN group information, and the VLAN devices are allowed to share virtual address information created when the VLAN group is activated. Furthermore, if the VLAN group has already been activated when instructed to activate the VLAN group, a join-in-progress signal to the VLAN group is transmitted to a join-in-progress VLAN client terminal as a transmission source of the activation instruction, and a VLAN session is established that is related to the join-in-progress VLAN client terminal and has not been established yet. | 10-24-2013 |
20130278958 | DIGITAL MULTI-FUNCTION APPARATUS AND NETWORK SYSTEM USING THE DIGITAL MULTI-FUNCTION APPARATUS - A digital multi-function apparatus is connected to a PC via a network and includes a storage location information receiving section, and a storage location information memory. The storage location information receiving section receives storage location information for processing object data stored in the PC from the PC when the apparatus operates in the power-saving mode. The storage location information memory stores the storage location information received from the PC. The apparatus accesses the data storage section in the network in which the processing object data is stored, based on the storage location information in the storage location information memory, if the power-saving mode is cleared. Then, the apparatus acquires the processing object data via the network, and executes a predetermined process for the acquired processing object data. | 10-24-2013 |
20130276603 | PUNCH OF PUNCHING PRESS, NIBBLER ASSEMBLY, AND METHOD OF FORMING ELONGATED HOLE IN SHEET MATERIAL - A punch includes first and second blade sections juxtaposed relative to each other in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to a feed direction of a sheet material. The first blade section protrudes downwardly from the second blade section with a step intervening therebetween and includes lower end edges on downstream and upstream sides of the feed direction, which define respective punching edges. The first blade section includes a lower end edge following the feed direction, which defines a first notching and punching edge. The notching and punching edge includes a portion intermediate of the feed direction representing a projecting shape. The second blade section includes a lower end edge on the upstream side, which defines a punching edge and also includes a lower end edge following the feed direction, which defines a notching and punching edge. The notching and punching edge is inclined gradually upwardly towards the upstream side. | 10-24-2013 |
20130275604 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND RELAY SERVERS - A virtual network is dynamically created when constructing a relay communication system including a plurality of relay servers that are arranged to communicate with each other. In the relay communication system, the VLAN client terminals defining a VLAN group are allowed to share VLAN group information. In addition, a VLAN session between VLAN devices as activatable VLAN client terminals is established based on the VLAN group information, and the VLAN devices are allowed to share virtual address information created when the VLAN group is activated. If the VLAN device defining the activated VLAN group is suspended, suspension of the VLAN device is notified, and a VLAN device about which the suspension has been notified is deleted from the virtual address information. The VLAN session related to the VLAN device about which the suspension has been notified is closed. | 10-17-2013 |
20130275501 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND RELAY SERVERS - A virtual network is dynamically created when a relay communication system is constructed including a plurality of relay servers that are arranged to communicate with each other. In the relay communication system, the VLAN client terminals defining the VLAN group are allowed to share VLAN group information. In addition, a VLAN session is established between the activatable VLAN devices among the VLAN client terminals based on the VLAN group information, and the VLAN devices are allowed to share virtual address information created when the VLAN group is activated. The VLAN device sets the given virtual address in a VLAN interface of the VLAN device, and communicates with other VLAN device using the virtual address and VLAN session. | 10-17-2013 |
20130256447 | Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding apparatus that prevents excessive unraveling of a fiber bundle due to variations in the speed at which the fiber bundle is wound includes a hoop winding device having a wrapping table, a bobbin support unit, a braking unit, a slack removal unit, a detector, and a controller. The slack removal unit absorbs slack caused by the difference between winding and unraveling speeds of the fiber bundle. The detector detects whether the amount of slack absorbed is equal to or greater than or is less than, a predetermined amount. When the amount of slack is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the controller increases the braking force of the braking unit for braking rotation of a bobbin. When the amount of slack is less than the predetermined amount, the controller reduces the braking force of the braking unit for braking rotation of the bobbin. | 10-03-2013 |
20130248637 | Filament Winding Method and Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding method performs a hoop winding step including a first step of fixing an end of a fiber bundle to a liner surface at a starting position of hoop winding, a second step of hoop winding the fiber bundle having the end fixed to the liner surface in the first step, a third step of fixing the fiber bundle hoop wound in the second step to the liner surface at an ending position of hoop winding, and a fourth step of cutting the fiber bundle upstream in a fiber bundle supplying direction of the position where the fiber bundle is fixed in the third step. | 09-26-2013 |
20130246505 | RELAY SERVER, RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS - In a relay communication system, a method and apparatus prevent crossover among call controls in sections and crossover among communication routes in each of the sections. Relay servers relay communication between client terminals. A relay server creates information, and allows a whole of a relay communication system to share the information, which includes: relay group information indicating that the relay servers constitute a relay group; and relay server information indicating a client terminal capable of communicating with the relay server. The relay servers and the client terminals collate identification information of call control, transmitted when the call control is executed for a destination for communication in each section, and identification information of call control, received from the destination for communication in each section when a communication route is established, with each other, and allows the call controls and the communication routes to correspond to each other. | 09-19-2013 |
20130238813 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server includes a VPN group information storage unit, an address filter information storage unit, and a communication control unit. The VPN group information storage unit stores routing session information indicating identification information of routing apparatuses that define a VPN group and the routing apparatuses that are connected to one another. The address filter information storage unit stores address filter information, which indicates a partner that the routing apparatus is able to designate as a packet destination, in association with identification information of the routing apparatus. The communication control unit is programmed to perform a control to, when a VPN is started in the VPN group, update a content stored in the address filter information storage unit based on the address filter information received from the routing apparatus, and establish a routing session based on the routing session information. | 09-12-2013 |
20130232779 | UNIT CONFIGURATION TYPE MACHINE TOOL, CONVEYANCE APPARATUS AND PROCESSING EQUIPMENT - A machine tool includes a base and a plurality of types of mechanism units. Each of the mechanism units includes a unit portion wiring. Some of the mechanism units include a unit built-in control circuit arranged and programmed to control a drive source within such unit. A conveyance apparatus includes a guide equipped frame and a traveling member. The guide equipped frame includes a plurality of travel guide units connected together. The travel guide units include a rectilinear section and a curved section. A travel drive of the traveling member includes a plurality of individual motors, which are armatures on a primary side provided in the travel guide units, and a mover provided in the traveling member. | 09-12-2013 |
20130229134 | DISCONTINUOUS LINEAR MOTOR SYSTEM - A linear motor system includes a discontinuous linear motor and motor control device. The discontinuous linear motor includes a mover and a plurality of individual motors spaced from each other along a movement path of the mover. Each of the individual motors functions as an armature on a primary side of one independent linear motor. A sensor, arranged to act as a linear scale, is disposed for each individual motor and detects a position of the mover. The motor control device includes a plurality of individual motor control units and a multiple unit controller to comprehensively control the individual motor control units. The individual motor control units control the individual motors disposed in curved path sections, and each of the individual motor control units includes a curved-line correspondence corrector to correct a detection value obtained from the sensor according to a relationship between a curved line of the path and a position of the sensor. | 09-05-2013 |
20130228415 | CONVEYANCE SYSTEM - A conveyance system includes a traveling member to transport an article installed for movement along a travel guide. A drive source arranged to drive the traveling member is a linear motor including an armature, disposed along the travel guide, and a mover on the secondary side installed on the traveling member. The travel guide includes a rectilinear section and a curved section. The armatures of the linear motor are spaced at a distance from each other and arranged such that a plurality of the armatures are arranged along the rectilinear section and the curved section of the travel guide. The travel guide is arranged to accommodate a plurality of traveling members mounted thereon. | 09-05-2013 |
20130213257 | Transport Vehicle and Transport System - A transport vehicle that reduces shaking of a transport article includes a travelling unit, a transport unit, a fall prevention member, and a shaking reduction member. The travelling unit travels along a rail provided on a ceiling. The transport unit transports a transport article. The fall prevention member is rotatably supported such that it can rotate between a fall prevention position and a retracted position. The fall prevention member is, at the fall prevention position, below the transport article. A pushing portion of the shaking reduction member pushes against a side surface of the transport article with a pushing surface thereof in conjunction with the rotating of the fall prevention member from the retracted position to the fall prevention position. A lever portion of the shaking reduction member has one end supporting the pushing portion and the other end rotatably supported in a manner coaxial with the fall prevention member). | 08-22-2013 |
20130211626 | VEHICLE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VEHICLE SYSTEM - A vehicle system includes a travel route including a merging section including a first entrance and a second entrance, a plurality of vehicles configured to travel on the travel route in one direction, and a ground controller configured and programmed to communicate with the plurality of vehicles. Any other vehicle expected to enter the merging section from the first entrance when a first vehicle is expected to enter the merging section from the second entrance is mapped on the travel route of the first vehicle based on a position and a velocity of the first vehicle and a position and a velocity of the other vehicle. A preceding-following relationship between the first vehicle and the other vehicle is determined from the position of the first vehicle and the position of the other vehicle after the mapping, and travel of the first vehicle is controlled so as to avoid a collision with the other vehicle. | 08-15-2013 |
20130208326 | AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER AND A DOCUMENT READER WITH THE AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER - An auto document feeder includes a lead path, a first reverse path, a second reverse path, and a both surfaces eject path. The lead path guides a document from a left side to a right side of a read position. The first and second reverse paths are connected to the lead path, and reverse the document to guide the document from the right side to the left side of the read position. A both surfaces eject path is connected to the first and second reverse paths and guides the document whose image information of a second surface has been read to eject further to the right side than the read position. A shared curve path shared by the lead path and the both surfaces eject path includes a portion between the read position and a portion in which a lead curve path protrudes the most. | 08-15-2013 |
20130204482 | CARRIER - A carrier which automatically travels on a pathway. A carrier comprising: a carrier main body which travels on the pathway including a first area and a second area other than the first area; a distance measuring sensor which is provided in the carrier main body, measures an intensity of reflected light a plurality of times, and obtains a plurality of pieces of measured data; a map data storage unit which stores map data in which structures provided along the pathway are recorded; an approximate line calculation unit which calculates an approximate line based on a set of pieces of measured data having the light intensity equal to or more than a predetermined threshold among the plurality of pieces of measured data in the first area and calculates the approximate line based on the set of the plurality of pieces of measured data in the second area; and a position calculation unit which calculates a position of the carrier main body by collating the approximate line and the map data. | 08-08-2013 |
20130200199 | Filament Winding Device - A filament winding device enables fiber bundles to be wound around the outer circumference surface of a liner at equal intervals even when the winding angle of the fiber bundles changes. The filament winding device includes a first helical head on which fiber bundle guides are radially disposed in the periphery of a liner to be transported; and a second helical head which is disposed adjacent to the first helical head and on which the fiber bundle guides are radially disposed in the periphery of the liner The filament winding device also has phase adjusting means for adjusting the phase difference between the fiber bundle guides on the first helical head and on the second helical head in accordance with the angle at which the fiber bundle is wound around the liner. | 08-08-2013 |
20130197719 | VEHICLE SYSTEM AND VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD - In a vehicle system, an inter-vehicle distance between vehicles is controlled by periodically reporting vehicle statuses from a plurality of vehicles to a ground controller and also periodically sending travelling instructions to the plurality of vehicles from the ground controller. Each vehicle stops when detecting failed reception of an instruction from the ground controller and reporting a vehicle status including information that the vehicle has stopped to the ground controller, and the ground controller based on the report received from the stopped vehicle sends a travelling instruction to the stopped vehicle, and based on the report received from the stopped vehicle, also sends a travelling instruction to a vehicle that follows the stopped vehicle so as to avoid interference with the stopped vehicle. | 08-01-2013 |
20130197691 | TRANSFER SYSTEM - For transferring an article to a desired position, even in a lateral transfer, a transfer system ( | 08-01-2013 |
20130197673 | RECOVERY METHOD FOR LOGISTICS SYSTEM - The object is to maintain the operations of a logistic system. The recovering method of the logistic system includes a plurality of controllers connected with each other via a local network. A recovery method for the logistic system comprises detecting an abnormal state of the plurality of controllers, outputting a switching requesting signal, receiving a control signal, and outputting the control signal. In outputting the switching requesting signal, when an abnormal controller that shows the abnormal state is detected, a switching requesting signal to switch from the abnormal controller to an alternate controller is outputted from the logistic system to the alternate controller. In receiving the control signal, a control signal that controls at least a part of operations of the logistic system instead of the abnormal controller is received from the alternate controller. | 08-01-2013 |
20130194369 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device includes a fixed frame, a slide frame, a head supporting frame, a cam structure, and an operation body. The fixed frame is arranged adjacent to a photosensitive body. The slide frame is supported in a slidable manner along a first axis line by the fixed frame. The head supporting frame is supported in a slidable manner along a second axis line, which intersects the first axis line, by the fixed frame, and supports an exposure head. The cam structure converts an operation in which the slide frame slides to an operation in which the head supporting frame slides. The operation body moves the exposure head between a separated position and a proximate position by sliding the slide frame. | 08-01-2013 |
20130193255 | Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding apparatus prevents a fiber bundle supplied to a liner from interfering with other fiber bundles and fiber supplying guides. First and second guide units include a plurality of fiber supplying guides arranged radially and extending and contracting in a direction approximately perpendicular to a liner central axis. When a fiber bundle supplied from a first supplying guide of the first guide unit crosses between a second supplying guide of the second guide unit and the liner, the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis, and in the reverse case, the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis. | 08-01-2013 |
20130186996 | Filament Winding Device - A filament winding device that optimizes the interval between adjacent fiber bundle guides includes a plurality of helical heads on which fiber bundle guides moving in the direction that is roughly perpendicular to the rotating axis of a liner are radially disposed; and winds a fiber bundle onto the outer circumference surface of the liner by passing the helical heads while rotating the liner. An interval adjusting means adjusts the interval between a virtual plane (Pf) which intersects with the guiding opening of a fiber bundle guide disposed on one of the helical heads so as to be orthogonal to the liner rotating axis and a virtual plane (Pw) which intersects with the guiding opening of a fiber bundle guide disposed on the other helical head so as to be orthogonal to the liner rotating axis. | 07-25-2013 |
20130174699 | CUTTING DEVICE WITH CHIP GUIDE AND LATHE - A cutting device includes a cutting tool, a chip guide unit including a hole-shaped chip guiding channel, which includes an inlet and an outlet defined respectively in a vicinity of an area of contact of the cutting tool with a workpiece and at a location remote from the workpiece, and a forced discharge fluid medium supply unit that supplies a fluid medium from a location along the chip guiding channel towards the outlet. The forced discharge fluid medium supply unit includes a fluid supply port defined in an inner wall surface of the chip guiding channel so as to open towards the outlet in a tilted orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the chip guiding channel. The fluid supply port opens in the inner wall surface of the chip guiding channel over an entire range of circumference thereof. | 07-11-2013 |
20130166134 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE BODY - An autonomous mobile body includes a laser range sensor and an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a storage unit that stores a size D | 06-27-2013 |
20130158701 | Automated Warehouse and Article Removal Method - A clean stocker includes: a reticle rotatable rack separately storing reticles and a pod; an empty pod rotatable rack; a manual load port supplying to an operator a pod including a reticle; a pod-with-reticle rotatable rack temporarily storing the pod including the reticle; a detecting unit detecting an instruction sent from the operator; a pod opener for, when a first instruction is detected, obtaining (i) a reticle from the reticle rotatable rack and (ii) an empty pod from the empty pod rotatable rack, and placing the obtained reticle into the empty pod; and a pod transporting apparatus (i) putting on the pod-with-reticle rotatable rack the pod including the reticle, and (ii) when a second instruction is detected, transporting the pod including the reticle from the pod-with-reticle rotatable rack to the manual load port. | 06-20-2013 |
20130142600 | CONVEYOR VEHICLE AND CONVEYOR METHOD - A transfer vehicle includes a lateral pair of extendable and retractable arms, openable and closable hooks at front and rear ends of the arms, an arm opening and closing mechanism configured to change spacing between the arms, and a controller configured and programmed to control the arms and the arm opening and closing mechanism as well as the hooks. During article pickup, the controller pulls in an article onto the transfer vehicle by causing the arms to protrude to a position beyond the article in a state in which the hooks at a distal end in a pickup direction as viewed from the transfer vehicle are opened, thereafter closing the hooks to clamp the article, opening the arms after the clamping to provide a gap between the article and at least one of the arms, and retracting the arms in a state in which the hooks are closed. | 06-06-2013 |
20130138819 | FILE SERVER DEVICE - Communication is established between communication terminals arranged in different LANS while realizing dynamic response to reduction in server load, movement of communication terminal, and the like. A relay server is arranged in a LAN and can communicate with an SIP server arranged in a WAN. For instance, a first relay server exchanges account information of the communication terminals in the respective LAN with a second relay server. If exchanged account information is changed in one relay server, the account information after the change is notified to the other relay server. One relay server determines the other relay server based on the exchanged account information and relays communication data between the communication terminals through the other relay server. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136140 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A first relay server stores a first routing target address and a second routing target address. The first relay server stores a first routing target address and a virtual address allocated to the first routing target address while being correlated with each other. The first relay server allocates the virtual address to the first routing target address. The first relay server sets whether communication is conducted using the virtual address or the first routing target address with respect to each second relay server. The first relay server transmits the virtual address allocated to the first routing target address to the second relay server, and receives the second routing target address from the second relay server, so as to establish a routing session with the second relay server. The first relay server performs routing control based on the exchanged routing target address. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136130 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A relay server stores a first routing target address that is an address to which the relay server can transfer a packet and a second routing target address to which another relay server located in another LAN can transfer a packet. The relay server stores an initial communication setting and a current communication setting. The relay server transmits only the first routing target address that is permitted in the initial communication setting to another relay server and receives the second routing target address from another relay server, to establish a routing session with another relay server. The relay server registers the initial communication setting as the current communication setting. The relay server performs routing control of the packet based on pieces of address filter information about the relay server and another relay server. | 05-30-2013 |
20130134155 | Microwave Heating Device and Image Fixing Apparatus Using the Same - A heating chamber is divided into a plurality of spaces by barrier sections including a conductive material. Phase shifters having different lengths with respect to a direction and including a dielectric body having permittivity higher than air are inserted in positions of a terminal section, in the spaces except for at least one space, to differentiate positions of bottoms of standing microwaves formed in the respective spaces from each other with respect to the direction. In addition, impedance adjusters having different lengths with respect to the direction and including a dielectric body having permittivity higher than air are inserted in positions on an upstream side of a region passed by the object to be heated, in the spaces except for at least one space, to reduce differences in impedance of the spaces from an entrance of the heating chamber to the terminal section including the phase shifters. | 05-30-2013 |
20130131910 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE BODY AND CONTROL METHOD OF SAME - An autonomous mobile body is configured to flexibly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. A translational potential of the mobile body and a rotational potential of the mobile body for avoiding interference with the obstacle are generated, based on the distance from the autonomous mobile body to the obstacle at each directional angle. An amount of control relating to a translational direction and a translational velocity of the mobile body and an amount of control relating to a rotational direction and an angular velocity of the mobile body are generated based on the generated potentials, and the movement mechanism is driven. | 05-23-2013 |
20130124893 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus includes a network control unit, a main control unit, a clock circuit unit, a sub control unit, and a power mode switching unit. The main control unit transmits transition information to the sub control unit during a transition to a first power saving mode when power supply to the main control unit is stopped. The clock circuit unit transmits a transition instruction to the sub control unit at a specified time. When detecting the transition instruction during the first power saving mode, the sub control unit selectively controls the power mode switching unit to switch a power mode based on the transition information between transition from the first power saving mode to the normal mode and transition from the first power saving mode to the second power saving mode when power supply to the main control unit and the network control unit is stopped. | 05-16-2013 |
20130116880 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE BODY - An autonomous mobile body includes a storage unit arranged to store a size D | 05-09-2013 |
20130104707 | MACHINE TOOL | 05-02-2013 |
20130097438 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND MANAGEMENT METHOD OF POWER SAVING MODE - In an information processing device, when shifting to a power saving mode, a volatile storage unit is controlled to continuously hold a program loaded to the volatile storage unit even in the power saving mode, and a logical value indicating the power saving mode is set to an input/output port of a third control unit. At time of activation, a second control unit determines if the logical value indicating the power saving mode has been set to the input/output port, and when the logical value has been set, recognizes the activation as a return from the power saving mode and executes the program held in the volatile memory, and when the logical value has not been set, recognizes the activation as a normal activation, loads the program held in the nonvolatile memory to the volatile memory and executes the loaded program. | 04-18-2013 |
20130094927 | VEHICLE SYSTEM - A vehicle system includes multiple vehicles which shuttle on linear paths; a reflecting member provided on one end-side of each path; a range finding device measuring, using a laser beam, a distance between a vehicle and the reflecting member; and a communications system including a stationary communications device provided on an other end-side of the traveling path for the traveling vehicle, and performing optical wireless communication; and a mobile communications device attached to the traveling vehicle performing wireless communication with the stationary communications device. | 04-18-2013 |
20130094066 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - An image processing device includes an image scanning unit, a first paper feed cassette, and an image recording unit. The image scanning unit scans a document placed on a document scanning surface, which defines a maximum document size. The first paper feed cassette accommodates recording paper of a size up to a first size, which is the same as the maximum document size. The image recording unit records an image on the recording paper. The maximum document size is defined by a scan maximum main scanning length and a scan maximum sub-scanning length that is preferably shorter than the scan maximum main scanning length. A record main scanning direction is parallel or substantially parallel to a long side of the recording paper of the first size accommodated in the first paper feed cassette. A scan main scanning direction is parallel or substantially parallel to the record main scanning direction. | 04-18-2013 |
20130092044 | RAIL-GUIDED CART SYSTEM AND BRANCHING CONTROL METHOD FOR A RAIL-GUIDED CART SYSTEM - A rail guided vehicle provided with a lateral pair of adjustable rollers in height is allowed to travel along travelling rails provided with a lateral pair of guide parts having long and short two vertically protruding lengths. Positions of the adjustable rollers in height may be changed such that both rollers are in an intermediate position or one is in an advanced position and the other is in a retracted position. One travelling rail branches into a first branching side and a branching/merging side, and the branching/merging side merges with a straight-travelling side of another travelling rail. When the rail guided vehicle travels on the one travelling rail toward the first branching side and travels straight on the other travelling rail, the height adjustable roller on the side opposite the branching/merging side takes the advanced position, and when travels on the branching/merging side, the rollers take the intermediate position. | 04-18-2013 |
20130068873 | Filament Winding Apparatus - A filament winding apparatus includes a hoop winding device mounted with bobbins that supply a fiber bundle. Each of the bobbins is whirled around a periphery of a liner to wind the fiber bundle around an outer peripheral surface of the liner. The hoop winding device is replaceable with another hoop winding device at a predetermined position. | 03-21-2013 |
20130056921 | AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER, IMAGE SCANNING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR FEEDING ORIGINAL DOCUMENT - An automatic document feeder includes a feeding path and a plurality of feed roller sets. Through the feeding path, an original document is fed in one direction from a paper supply port to a paper discharge port. The plurality of the feed roller sets are arranged along the feeding path to be spaced apart from each other. When one side of an original document is scanned and when both sides of an original document are scanned, the plurality of the feed roller sets nip the original document to feed the original document along the feeding path. In this case, the plurality of the feed roller sets are all involved in feeding the original document. | 03-07-2013 |
20130050727 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND POWER-SAVING METHOD OF IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a packet detecting unit; a packet analyzing unit; an image processing unit processing images using image data from the packet; a power supply unit supplying power to the packet detecting, packet analyzing, and image processing units; a stand-by mode controlling unit controlling the packet detecting unit, the packet analyzing unit, and the image processing unit to be operable in a stand-by mode; a first controlling unit controlling, in a first mode, the packet detecting and packet analyzing units to be operable while the image processing unit is inoperable; a second controlling unit controlling, in a second mode, the packet detecting unit to be operable while the packet analyzing and image processing units are inoperable; and a first mode-changeover unit changing a power supply mode from the second mode to the first mode when the packet detecting unit detects a predetermined packet in the second mode. | 02-28-2013 |
20130049291 | PAPER FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A paper feeder according to the present invention includes a paper entrance block arranged above a flapper on au upstream side of a paper feed roller in a paper feeding direction. The flapper is configured to be capable of swinging in a vertical direction so as to alter its position between a first position in which part of a top face thereof on a downstream side in the paper feeding direction comes into contact with the paper feed roller and a second position in which the part thereof is located lower than the first position. The paper entrance block is configured so that when the flapper is in the first position, the lower end thereof comes into contact with the flapper and when the flapper is in the second position, a clearance is formed in a vertical direction between the paper entrance block and the flapper. | 02-28-2013 |
20130000456 | NIBBLER ASSEMBLY FOR PUNCH PRESS AND METHOD OF FORMING ELONGATED HOLE IN SHEET MATERIAL - A nibbler assembly includes a punch and a die. The die includes a through opening formed therein, which opening has an oblong configuration as viewed along a vertical direction. The die includes an upper surface including a recess extending from an upper peripheral portion of the through opening at an upstream side of a feed direction towards the upstream of the feed direction. The recess is dented downwardly relative to other portions of the upper surface. The punch includes a blade substantially matching in shape with the through opening. The blade includes an upstream end portion in the feed direction provided with opposite corners each having an arcuate shape as viewed along the vertical direction. The punch and the die are operable to punch successive holes that at least partially overlap along the feed direction so as to form an elongated hole in a sheet material. | 01-03-2013 |
20130000269 | DRAFT ROLLER, SPINNING UNIT, SPINNING MACHINE, AND MANUFACURING METHOD OF SPUN YARN - The front top roller ( | 01-03-2013 |
20120315569 | Filament Winding Method and Apparatus, and Tank - In a filament winding method, while a rotating tank relatively reciprocates in a tank axial direction to a helical winding head, fibers are fed from yarn-feeding sections to the tank. After the tank turns back in the tank axial direction, a large number of fibers are wound around one domed portion and a trunk portion of the tank, and trailing ends of the large number of fibers are located at one end portion of the trunk portion. Then a piece or a small number of fibers are fed from a rotating hoop winding head to the trunk portion, and hoop winding is performed on helical winding layers formed around the trunk portion. Then, at the one end portion of the trunk portion, the large number of fibers pulled from the yarn-feeding sections of the helical winding head are cut off. | 12-13-2012 |
20120313388 | TRANSFER DEVICE, AND WORKPIECE MOUNTING DEVICE - A non-contact holding device ( | 12-13-2012 |
20120294640 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLING METHOD OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fusing unit with a heating member arranged to fuse toner to a printing paper, a heat source arranged to heat the heating member, a thermal sensor arranged to measure a surface temperature of the heating member, an electricity controlling unit arranged to control electricity supplied to the heat source based on a temperature measured by the thermal sensor, a first temperature controlling unit arranged to control the surface temperature of the heating member in STANDBY mode to gradually rise to an upper limit temperature by turning on/off electricity to the heat source with an electricity controlling unit, and a second temperature controlling unit arranged to control the surface temperature of the heating member in STANDBY mode to gradually fall to a lower limit temperature by turning on/off electricity to the heat source with the electricity controlling unit. | 11-22-2012 |
20120283905 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE DEVICE - An autonomous mobile device that moves while autonomously avoiding zones into which entry should be avoided even if no obstacle exists therein includes a laser range finder that acquires peripheral obstacle information, a storage unit that stores an environment map that shows an obstacle zone where an obstacle exists, and a no-entry zone map which shows a no-entry zone into which entry is prohibited, a self-location estimation unit that estimates the self-location of a host device by using the obstacle information acquired by the laser range finder and the environment map, and a travel control unit that controls the host device to autonomously travel to the destination by avoiding the obstacle zone and the no-entry zone based on the estimated self-location, the environment map, and the no-entry zone map. | 11-08-2012 |
20120269217 | LASER OSCILLATOR CONTROLLER - Provided is a method for controlling a laser oscillator. Such a laser oscillator is applicable to a laser processing machine and includes a plurality of oscillator modules each adapted to be driven to oscillate a laser beam. Also, such a laser oscillator is configured to collect laser beams oscillated by driven modules for output. The method includes determining the number of modules to be driven, of the plurality of oscillator modules. | 10-25-2012 |
20120251203 | FUSING UNIT FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fusing unit includes a heat roller and a press roller, which fuse a toner image fused to a recording sheet; a first separating pawl contacting a circumferential surface of the heat roller and separating the recording sheet from the heat roller; second separating pawls that are spaced from the first separating pawl in an axial direction to contact the circumferential surface of the heat roller and separate the recording sheet from the heat roller; a first rotatable guide in the first separating pawl that guides the recording sheet to a sheet discharge guide of an exit feed path while changing its orientation; a second rotatable guide provided in each of the second separating pawls which guides the recording sheet to a sheet discharge guide of an exit feed path while changing an orientation of the recording sheet; and a fusing feed path that reaches the sheet discharge guide. | 10-04-2012 |
20120239240 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE DEVICE - Provided is an autonomous mobile device capable of taking action that is suitable for executing a task in accordance with the situation. | 09-20-2012 |
20120239239 | VEHICLE - A vehicle automatically drives along a driving course having objects located around the vehicle. The vehicle includes a vehicle main body, a distance measurement sensor, a map data recording unit, an approximate line calculation unit, and a position and attitude calculating unit. The distance measurement sensor is provided in the vehicle main body, and measures distances to objects located around the vehicle. The map data recording unit stores map data recording objects located around the vehicle in the driving course. The approximate line calculation unit calculates approximate lines, based on a set of position data obtained with a one-time scanning of the distance measurement sensor. The position and attitude calculating unit performs a matching check between the approximate lines and the map data, thereby calculating the position and attitude of the vehicle main body. | 09-20-2012 |
20120232739 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE BODY AND CONTROL METHOD OF SAME - An autonomous mobile body is configured to smoothly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. Using a model having two arcs, one at each end in a major axis direction, connected by line segments that lie in the major axis direction and containing the autonomous mobile body, the movement mechanism is driven with a combination of translation and rotation, without interference between the obstacle and the model. | 09-13-2012 |
20120218571 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus extracts a line segment included in an image, and includes a density gradient direction determining section that determines a direction, in which density changes, of each processing unit composed of a predetermined number of pixels of an image, and an line segment extracting section that regards a couple of processing units whose density gradient direction are opposite each other as a processing unit pair and extracts a processing unit group including a plurality of processing unit pairs allocated in a row in a direction perpendicular to the density gradient directions as a line segment. | 08-30-2012 |
20120200027 | AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER - An automatic document feeder includes a first roller portion on the first transportation path to feed an original to a scanning position to scan a first face of the original, a second roller portion on a second transportation path to transport the scanned original, a third roller portion on the second transportation path to feed the original to the scanning position to scan a second face of the original, a fourth roller portion on the first transportation path to transport the scanned original, and a transporting speed adjusting unit gaining a circumferential velocity of the second roller portion than the one of the first roller portion and gaining a circumferential velocity of the fourth roller portion than the one of third roller portion, when the original is transported from the first transportation path to the second transportation path and from the second transportation path to the first transportation path, respectively. | 08-09-2012 |
20120195668 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes an image forming section that forms an image on one side or both sides of a recording sheet; a main body, in which the image forming section is arranged; a main body discharge section arranged in the main body, and to which the recording sheet is discharged; and a discharge unit that is removable with respect to a side surface of the main body, and connectable to a reverse transportation path to reverse front and back of the recording sheet when forming images on both sides of the recording sheet; wherein the recording sheet can be selectively discharged to the main body discharge section or the discharge unit. The discharge unit includes a discharge tray, a discharge roller, a swinging member to guide the recording sheet to the discharge tray, and a rotation drive portion to rotate the discharge roller and swing the swinging member. | 08-02-2012 |
20120189202 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - A handwritten area is separated from image data of printed material in which handwriting has been inserted, and the separated handwritten area is identified as an enclosing line or a class symbol. An image area enclosed within the handwritten area identified as the enclosing line is extracted and acquired as an extracted image. The class symbol is correlated to an enclosing line drawn nearest the class symbol, and the extracted images are classified into groups according to the image areas within the enclosing line correlated to the type of class symbols. The grouped images are organized as listed data. | 07-26-2012 |
20120185603 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - In a relay server, a routing group information sharing unit shares routing group information, which is prepared by grouping routing control points including at least two of a first relay server in a relay group, a second relay server in the relay group, a client terminal connected to the first relay server, and a client terminal connected to the second relay server. A routing session establishment unit establishes a routing session, which enables a communication packet to be routed via the routing control points, for each group indicated in the routing group information while referring to relay server information. | 07-19-2012 |
20120179838 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A virtual network is dynamically created to construct a relay communication system. Between a first relay server and a second relay server, a VLAN device information sharing unit shares VLAN device information including interface information of client terminals capable of functioning as VLAN devices in a relay group. A VLAN group information creation unit edits the VLAN device information, thereby creating VLAN group information formed by grouping the client terminals indicated in the VLAN device information. A VLAN group information sharing unit shares the VLAN group information among the first relay server, the second relay server, the client terminal connected to the first relay server, and the client terminal connected to the second relay server. | 07-12-2012 |
20120176653 | IMAGE SCANNING APPARATUS - In an image scanning apparatus, a carriage includes a slide block arranged to be guided by a guide rail, and a carriage main body arranged to be mounted onto the slide block. The slide block is mounted on the guide rail in either a standard position or an adjusting position. When the slide block being is in the standard position, the carriage main body is positioned relative to the slide block. When the slide block is in the adjusting position, the angle of the carriage main body can be adjusted relative to the guide rail by swinging the carriage main body relative to the slide block upon a fulcrum pin. | 07-12-2012 |
20120170087 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS - A document feeding route is provided in an automatic document feeder, and a feeder cover is provided on an upper portion of the automatic feeder and arranged to open and close an upstream half route of the document feeding route by being movable in a pivoting fashion. A plurality of pairs of drive rollers and idler rollers are provided in a downstream half route to feed a document toward a document ejection port. A jam clearance mechanism arranged to move the idler rollers or the drive rollers in a direction toward releasing a nipped state is arranged to face the downstream half route. The jam clearance mechanism includes a pair of cam frames and releasing bodies. The cam frames undergo a sliding displacement in a direction along which the pairs of idler rollers and drive rollers are arranged in coordination with opening and closing of the feeder cover. The releasing bodies move back and forth in coordination with the sliding movement of the cam frames. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170086 | IMAGE READER AND DOCUMENT CONVEYING METHOD - An image reader and document conveying method shorten times necessary for a discharge process that discharges a document being conveyed and for an idle feeding process of a document that is left on a paper feed tray. If during double-sided reading, a stop key is operated to issue an instruction to cancel reading, a conveyance controller outputs a path specifying signal to select a single-sided path, and thereby a conveyance route is switched from a double-sided path to the single-sided path. For this reason, the discharge process that discharges a document being conveyed at the time of the reading cancellation to a paper discharge tray, and the idle feeding process that discharges a document left on a paper feed tray to the paper discharge tray are performed with use of the single-sided path that is shorter than the double-sided path, and therefore the times necessary for the discharge and idle feeding processes can be shortened. | 07-05-2012 |
20120168088 | Filament Winding Apparatus - Provided is a filament winding apparatus ( | 07-05-2012 |
20120163835 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - When printing, an image forming apparatus determines, based on a threshold voltage corresponding to a print speed during printing, whether or not a corona wire of a charger needs to be cleaned. On the basis of whether or not a monitoring voltage corresponding to a current value of a charged bias, which is applied to the corona wire by a charged-bias high-voltage power supply, is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold voltage corresponding to the print speed during printing, the image forming apparatus determines whether or not the corona wire needs to be cleaned. | 06-28-2012 |
20120151059 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT APPARATUS - A first relay server transmits, to an access management apparatus that manages an access right to a second relay server, an access request with respect to the second relay server. The access management apparatus confirms that the access right to the second relay server is set in the first relay server, and then requests the second relay server to permit an access by the first relay server. In a case where the second relay server permits the access from the first relay server, the access management apparatus notifies the first relay server of such access permission. Based on the notice from the access management apparatus, the first relay server establishes a routing session with the second relay server. By using the routing session, the first relay server starts the communication with a general server that serves as a maintenance target. | 06-14-2012 |
20120136516 | Traveling Vehicle System - A traveling vehicle system ( | 05-31-2012 |
20120133963 | IMAGE READING DEVICE - An image reader includes a path switching part, located at a branch point that switches between a double-sided path and a single-sided path. The double-sided path defines a conveyance route that passes through a reading position from the branch point to enter a conveyance path that causes a document to make a U-turn, and then again passes through the reading position to be discharged to a paper discharge tray. The single-sided path defines a conveyance route that, without passing through the reading position, merges into the conveyance path from the branch point. Along the double-sided path, document detecting sensors provide detection results so that a collision determination part determines a possibility of a collision between documents, and if such a possibility is determined, the path switching part switches the double-sided path to the single-sided path to prevent the documents from colliding head-on with each other in the vicinity of the reading position | 05-31-2012 |
20120114384 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a toner cartridge; and a developing unit that forms a toner image by visualizing a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. The developing unit includes a feed opening through which toner is supplied from the toner cartridge, and a paddle that agitates toner supplied through the feed opening and feeds the toner in a direction of the photosensitive drum. The feed opening has an opening length shorter than a length in a direction of a rotary axis of the paddle, and the paddle includes a toner guide that diffuses the toner in the direction of the rotary axis of the paddle. | 05-10-2012 |
20120099952 | TRANSFER APPARATUS - A transfer device which transfers a clamped load, by sliding the load, between a rack and an elevating table that are adjacent to each other, includes a contact body which comes into contact with the load; an arm which generates, through the contact body, a force in a clamping direction that is a horizontal direction with respect to the load; and a joint which connects the contact body and the arm movably in a vertical direction, without moving the contact body in the clamping direction with respect to the arm. | 04-26-2012 |
20120078411 | CONVEYANCE VEHICLE SYSTEM - A conveyance vehicle system that achieves an increased efficiency of loading an article from a conveyance vehicle into a loading opening of an automated warehouse, includes a stocker, a conveyance vehicle, and a conveyance vehicle controller. The stocker, includes racks, a loading port, and a stocker controller. The conveyance vehicle loads an article into the loading port of the stocker. The conveyance vehicle controller assigns the conveyance vehicle with an article conveyance command to convey the article to the stocker. The stocker controller receives a predicted conveyance command before the article is loaded from the conveyance vehicle into the stocker. The predicted conveyance command includes ID information of the article and information indicating whether or not the article is to be loaded into a rack. | 03-29-2012 |
20120070260 | CONVEYING SYSTEM HAVING ENDLESS DRIVE MEDIUM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING/RECEIVING ARTICLE THEREIN - In a transport system, carriers are attached to an endless belt configured to rotate in a circulating manner. At a station, a hand, a driver configured to move the hand in a rotation direction and a vertical direction, a moving distance sensor configured to measure a moving distance of the endless belt, a carrier sensor configured to detect one of the carriers at a position upstream of the hand along the rotation direction, and a signal processor configured to operate the hand are provided. To load an article, when the moving distance from a time point of detection of the carrier by the carrier sensor reaches a first moving distance, the hand is activated at a first acceleration, and to unload an article, when the moving distance from the time point of detection of the carrier by the carrier sensor reaches a second moving distance which is larger than the first moving distance, the hand is activated at a second acceleration which is larger than the first acceleration. The delay in signal processing after detection of the carrier does not affect control, and both of loading and unloading can be performed in substantially the same area. | 03-22-2012 |
20120067698 | CONVEYING SYSTEM HAVING ENDLESS DRIVE MEDIUM AND CONVEYING METHOD - In a transport system, a plurality of carriers are attached to an endless belt configured to rotate in a circulating manner. At a station, a hand, a driver configured to move the hand in a rotation direction and a vertical direction, a first carrier sensor configured to detect the carriers at a predetermined position upstream of the hand along the rotation direction of the endless driving medium, and a second carrier sensor configured to detect the carriers at a position downstream of the first carrier sensor are provided. When the carriers pass through the second carrier sensor, it is checked whether the moving distance of the belt matches the distance between the two carrier sensors. In this manner, before starting loading or unloading, for example, whether the encoder is operated normally or not can be confirmed. | 03-22-2012 |
20120067695 | CONVEYING SYSTEM HAVING ENDLESS DRIVE MEDIUM, METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING CARRIER THEREOF, AND CARRIER - 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. | 03-22-2012 |
20120057602 | RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND FIRST RELAY SERVER - A relay communication system includes a first client terminal which creates routing group information including network addresses of first and second LANs, and identification information of the first client terminal and a second client terminal which execute routing processing, and which shares the routing group information with the second client terminal. Based on the routing group information, a routing session is established between the first and second client terminals. A communication terminal connected to the first LAN sends out a communication packet in which an IP address of a communication terminal connected to the second LAN is designated. The communication packet is encapsulated by the first client terminal, and is routed by using the routing session. | 03-08-2012 |
20120042988 | PURGIGN APPARATUS AND PURGING METHOD - A pod opener is an apparatus for purging the inside of a reticle pod having a pod cover and an openable bottom lid by supplying and discharging a clean gas to and from the inside of the reticle pod. The pod opener includes a stage, an elevator driving mechanism, a latch mechanism, and a supplying-discharging section. The stage can attach and remove the bottom lid to and from the pod cover. The elevator driving mechanism can move the stage. The latch mechanism serves to move a latch member that locks the bottom lid to the pod cover such that it cannot be detached and to release the locked state of the bottom lid. The supplying-discharging section starts purging before the latch member has completed an operation of locking the bottom lid to the pod cover. | 02-23-2012 |
20120032668 | Transportation Vehicle System and Charging Method for the Transportation Vehicle System - A magnetic sensor array including a plurality of magnetic sensors detects a phase regarding a magnetic pole of a magnetic pole array including magnetic poles of N and S arranged alternately. A pitch identification unit detects a pitch number of the magnetic pole currently being detected by the magnetic sensor array, in the magnetic pole array. | 02-09-2012 |
20120024663 | CONVEYOR DEVICE - In a conveyor device including a branch path, the number of articles sorted to the branch path is counted accurately. The conveyor device conveys a plurality of articles and includes a main conveyor, a first branch path, a first detector, a second detector, a detection information processing section, and a charging conveyor. The first branch path branches from the main conveyor at a first branch point. The first detector and the second detector are arranged upstream and downstream, respectively, of the branch point along a conveyance direction and are arranged to detect articles on the main conveyor. The detection information processing section is configured to calculate the number of articles sorted to the first branch path based on a difference between the number of articles detected by the first detector and the number of articles detected by the second detector. | 02-02-2012 |
20120014705 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that prevents transfer defects such as the occurrence of white spots. includes a photoreceptor drum, a transfer roller, a transfer bias application circuit that applies a transfer bias to the transfer roller a static elimination needle that eliminates static of a recording paper, a static elimination bias application circuit that applies a static elimination bias to the static elimination needle, and a printer controller. The printer controller controls the static elimination bias application circuit so that a potential difference between the static elimination needle and the recording paper during the period from when a front end region of the recording paper passes by the static elimination needle until when a front end of the recording paper comes into contact with a conveyance guide becomes smaller than the potential difference during the period that the front end region of the recording paper passes by the static elimination needle. | 01-19-2012 |
20120013942 | Network Printer - A network printer includes a communication unit for carrying out transmission/reception of data via a network and a recording unit for printing out received print data. The communication unit includes a priority level determination unit, when second print data is accepted during reception of first print data, for determining priority between the first and second print data, and a first persistent connection control unit for executing a persistent connection control that prohibits a transmission source of print data determined as lower priority data from transmitting the print data while a session is being connected with the transmission source, and for permitting a transmission source of print data determined as higher priority data to transmit the print data. | 01-19-2012 |
20120009047 | AUTOMATIC WAREHOUSE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An automatic warehouse includes a rack including vertically arranged shelves and traveling vehicles each of which is provided to a corresponding one of the shelves. The automatic warehouse includes stations receiving an article to be stored on and an article unloaded from the rack, elevators each mediating traffic of articles between the corresponding station and at least one of the traveling vehicles, and a shelf assigning unit assigning, to each of the stations, one or more of the shelves to which the station has priority of use over the rest of the stations. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008874 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - In an image processing apparatus that determines tilt angles of an image, coordinates of points in the image are each transformed into a distance ρ and an angle θ, and votes are cast to a vote table having the distance ρ and the angle θ as headers. A predetermined number of points having numbers of votes ranked high are extracted from the vote table, and an extraction angle θx is determined to achieve maximum consistency with angles θ at the predetermined number of points, and the tilt angles of the image are determined based on the determined extraction angle θx. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008634 | FIRST RELAY SERVER AND SECOND RELAY SERVER - A communication system achieves excellent flexibility and expandability and includes communication terminals that communicate with each other through a WAN. A first relay server and a second relay server share relay group information and relay server information. In the relay group information, a network address of a first LAN that performs routing control via the first relay server and a network address of a second LAN that performs routing control via the second relay server are registered. The first and second relay servers establish a routing session via a WAN. When a communication terminal connected to the first LAN sends out a communication packet in which an IP address of a communication terminal connected to the second LAN is designated, the communication packet is routed through the routing session between the first and second relay servers while being encapsulated. | 01-12-2012 |
20120006641 | TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM AND TRAVELING CONTROL METHOD - A traveling vehicle system includes traveling vehicles; a controller which controls operations of the traveling vehicles; and a power line which electrically connects the traveling vehicles with each other, and supplies electric power to each of the traveling vehicles. Each of the traveling vehicles includes a motor which runs on the electric power supplied via the power line and drives the traveling vehicle, and when decelerating, generates regenerative electric power to be supplied to another one of the traveling vehicles via the power line, and the controller controls the operations of the traveling vehicles so that a time of one or more first traveling vehicles decelerating overlaps a time of one or more second traveling vehicles accelerating, the first traveling vehicles being decelerating traveling vehicles, the second traveling vehicles being accelerating traveling vehicles, and the first traveling vehicles and the second traveling vehicles being included in the traveling vehicles. | 01-12-2012 |
20120006163 | TWO-AXIS MACHINE TOOL - A two axis machine tool suppresses vibrations between two processing machines and provides a self vibration suppressing effect resulting from increased rigidity and increased mass. The two axis machine tool includes first and second separate and independent machine beds and processing machines mounted respectively on the first and second machine beds, and the first and second machine beds are connected together through vibration suppressing units. Each of the vibration suppressing units includes a viscoelastic body sandwiched between first and second plate members secured respectively to the first and second machine beds. | 01-12-2012 |
20120004767 | TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM - Upon receiving first data, a stop control unit ( | 01-05-2012 |
20110316467 | PARALLEL MECHANISM - A parallel mechanism includes a base portion, a bracket to which an end effecter is attached, a plurality of actuators attached to the base portion, a plurality of arms through which the plurality of actuators and the bracket are coupled together in parallel, and a control device arranged to control the actuators. When the end effecter in a stopped state is moved to a target position, the control device is arranged to control the actuators so that a level of acceleration at which the end effecter is accelerated is higher than a level of deceleration at which the end effecter is decelerated. | 12-29-2011 |
20110292975 | Network Device - A network multifunction peripheral includes an NIC that conducts communication with a LAN and a recording unit that can be put in a normal power state and a low-power consumption state. The recording unit processes received data when the recording unit is in the normal power state. The NIC includes a transmit-receive unit that transmits and receives data, a power state determining unit that determines the power state of the recording unit, a start-up signal output unit that outputs a start-up signal when a session establishment request signal is received from a PC and when determined that the recording unit is in the low-power consumption state, and a persistent connection control unit that performs persistent connection control to prohibit the PC from transmitting the data while a session is maintained with the PC until the recording unit is started up. | 12-01-2011 |
20110278792 | PAPER TRANSPORTING APPARATUS, PAPER FEEDING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A paper transporting apparatus includes a pair of transport rollers including a first transport roller, a second transport roller, a first roller shaft inserted through the first transport roller, a second roller shaft inserted through the second roller, an urging member which urges the second roller shaft towards the first roller shaft, and a cover member arranged to be opened and closed. The urging member is attached to an inner surface of the cover member to support the second roller shaft, and urge the second roller shaft when the cover member is closed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110273735 | Document Reading Apparatus And Document Reading Method - A print mode selecting unit configured to select a print mode based on user input to be either a normal print mode or a saving print mode including print settings associated with less paper consumption than the normal print mode, a document reading unit configured to read documents in a document containing unit and to generate read images, a document detecting unit configured to detect documents in the document containing unit, a confirmation window displaying unit configured to display a confirmation window having a mode change button based on a detection result from the document detecting unit, and an image forming unit configured to form output images from the read images based on the print mode. The confirmation window displaying unit determines whether the confirmation window is to be displayed based on the print mode, and the print mode selecting unit selects the normal print mode in response to an input through the mode change button. | 11-10-2011 |
20110270438 | AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE SYSTEM - An automated warehouse system having an improved cycle efficiency of storing and retrieving articles to and from the automated warehouse system includes a storage station, a retrieval station, a plurality of article storage shelves, a stacker crane, and a system controller. An article is brought to the storage station to be stored and retrieved from the retrieval station. The article storage shelves store articles. The stacker crane can move an article between the storage station, the retrieval station, and the article storage shelves. The system controller keeps track of the amount of storage time articles have been stored and, when it determines that an article has been stored on an article storage shelf in a buffer area for a first predetermined amount of time or longer, the system controller controls the stacker crane such that the stacker crane carries the article from an article storage shelf in the buffer area to an article storage shelf in the first storage area. | 11-03-2011 |
20110261382 | Terminal Device and Image Printing Method - An image printing method to transmit a signal to an image printing device. The image printing device can be in either a normal print mode or a saving print mode, and maintains the selected print mode as standard mode information. The image printing method includes a step to obtain the standard mode information from the image printing device, a step to display a confirmation window including a print setting change button based on a user operation through a print start button while a print setting window including the print start button is displayed, a step to determine print settings for a print signal based on the standard mode information and a user operation through the print setting change button, and a step to generate the print signal including the determined print settings. The step to display the confirmation window determines whether the confirmation window is to be displayed or not based on the standard mode information. | 10-27-2011 |
20110254216 | AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER AND A DOCUMENT READER WITH THE AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER - An auto document feeder includes a lead path, a first reverse path, a second reverse path, and a both surfaces eject path. The lead path guides a document from a left side to a right side of a read position. The first reverse path and the second reverse path are connected to the lead path, and reverse the document to guide the document from the right side to the left side of the read position. A both surfaces eject path is connected to the first reverse path and the second reverse path and guides the document whose image information of a second surface has been read so as to eject further to the right side than the read position. Further, the lead path includes a lead curve path which protrudes to the left side and is arranged more to the left side than the read position. A shared curve path shared by the lead path and the both surfaces eject path includes a portion between the read position and a portion in which the lead curve path protrudes the most. | 10-20-2011 |
20110248709 | Magnetic Pole Detection System and Magnetic Pole Detection Method - A magnetic sensor array including a plurality of magnetic sensors detects a phase regarding a magnetic pole of a magnetic pole array including magnetic poles of N and S arranged alternately. A pitch identification unit detects a pitch number of the magnetic pole currently being detected by the magnetic sensor array, in the magnetic pole array. | 10-13-2011 |
20110248439 | IMAGE SCANNING DEVICE AND DOCUMENT TRANSPORTING METHOD - An image scanning device includes a scanning specifying unit, at least two document detecting units, a supply timing adjusting unit, and a document supplying unit. The scanning specifying unit specifies one of at least two scanning methods each having a different transportation interval between documents. The document detecting units are at least two in number and arranged to detect a document at different positions on a transportation route. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to measure a transportation distance of the document after detection by the document detecting units and to generate a supply signal. The document supplying unit is arranged to supply a document from a paper feed tray based on the supply signal. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to generate the supply signal based on a result of detection by the document detecting unit that corresponds to the specified scanning method. | 10-13-2011 |
20110238835 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ARRANGED TO SHARE RESOURCES BETWEEN NETWORKS - A relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate with a relay server in a different LAN, includes: an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN; a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information; a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information; a check unit that checks whether the client terminals stored in the account information registering unit can be accessed; a relay group information notifying unit that updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the relevant relay server; and a shared resource information notifying unit that updates the relevant shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the relevant client terminal which is stored in the account information registering unit. | 09-29-2011 |
20110235087 | Multifunctional Peripheral - A multi functional peripheral device could change between a logout state in which a predetermined process could not be performed and a login state which the predetermined process could be performed. The multi functional peripheral comprises a display unit provided with a screen arranged to display the state of the multi functional peripheral, an accepting unit arranged to accept an entry of an identification information to be used to log into the multi functional peripheral, an controlling unit for control of actions of the multi functional peripheral arranged to cause the multi functional peripheral to change from the logout state to the login state when the controlling unit authenticates the identification information accepted by the accepting unit, a light-emitting unit, which is arranged separately from the display unit, arranged to start a light-emitting action when the multi functional peripheral changes from the logout state to the login state and terminate the light-emitting action when the multi functional peripheral changes from the logout state to the login state. | 09-29-2011 |
20110219249 | Network Interface Apparatus - A network interface controller includes a first NIC connected to a LAN and a second NIC, which can proceed to a low power consumption status, connected to the first NIC via a bus. The first NIC includes a storing unit arranged to store response history information transmitted from the second NIC, a registration determining unit arranged to determine whether the received data has been registered in the response history information when network data is received and the status of the second NIC is the low power consumption status, a transmitting unit arranged to transmit response data registered in association with the received data when the received data has been registered, and an activation signal transmitting unit arranged to transmit an activation signal to the second NIC when the received data has not been registered. | 09-08-2011 |
20110204559 | PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A paper feeding apparatus transports paper one by one through a transportation mechanism to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus. The paper feeding apparatus includes a paper feed cassette to contain paper, a paper side guide arranged in the paper feed cassette to position the paper in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a transport direction of the paper, and a dust removing roller arranged in the paper side guide and in contact with the paper contained in the paper feed cassette. | 08-25-2011 |
20110202247 | TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF AVOIDING INTERFERENCE WITH TRAVELING VEHICLE - A traveling vehicle is equipped with an obstacle sensor to detect a distance to an obstacle and an orientation relative to the obstacle. A map of a travel route of the traveling vehicle is stored. A detection area where deceleration of the traveling vehicle is required if there is any obstacle in the detection area is repeatedly generated based on the position of the traveling vehicle from the map. Among obstacles detected by the obstacle sensor, an obstacle in the detection area is detected. Deceleration control of the traveling vehicle is implemented to prevent interference with the detected obstacle. | 08-18-2011 |
20110202202 | TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION METHOD IN THE TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM - A system server and access points are connected through a LAN preferably on the ground. A control cycle is divided into an instruction time zone to provide instructions from the access points to traveling vehicles, and a report time zone to provide reports from the traveling vehicles to the access points. The access points transmit target positions in the instruction time zone, and the traveling vehicles report positions in the report time zone. The system server determines target positions based on the reported positions. | 08-18-2011 |
20110184634 | Traveling Vehicle System - A controller ( | 07-28-2011 |
20110182595 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In an image forming device, toner in a developing unit is efficiently utilized. A printing unit includes a developing unit, a toner cartridge, a photo-electronic sensor, a CPU and a counter. The toner cartridge replenishes toner to the developing unit at one time. The photo-electronic sensor detects toner in the developing unit. The CPU processes an output signal from the photo-electronic sensor to create comparison data, then compares comparison data with a predetermined threshold and issues an alarm when the comparison data exceeds the predetermined threshold. The counter counts the number of times that toner is replenished to the developing unit. The CPU changes the threshold to a level at which an alarm is hardly issued as the number of counts in the counter increases. | 07-28-2011 |
20110179167 | RELAY SERVER, RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS - In a relay communication system in which remote LANs communicate with one another beyond a WAN, a method and apparatus prevent crossover among a plurality of call controls in each of a plurality of sections and crossover among a plurality of communication routes in each of the plurality of sections. Relay servers relay communication between client terminals. A relay server creates information described below, and allows a whole of a relay communication system to share the information: relay group information indicating that the relay servers constitute a relay group; and relay server information indicating a client terminal capable of communicating with the relay server. The relay servers and the client terminals collate identification information of call control, which is transmitted when the call control is executed for a destination for communication in each section, and identification information of call control, which is received from the destination for communication in each section when a communication route is established, with each other, and allows the call controls and the communication routes to correspond to each other. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178669 | AUTONOMOUS MOBILE DEVICE - An electronic controller defining an autonomous mobile device a self-location estimation unit to estimate a self-location based on a local map that is created according to distance/angle information relative to an object in the vicinity and the travel distance of an omni wheel, an environmental map creation unit to create an environmental map of a mobile area based on the self-location and the local map during the guided travel with using a joystick, a registration switch to register the self-location of the autonomous mobile device as the position coordinate of the setting point when the autonomous mobile device reaches a predetermined setting point during the guided travel, a storage unit to store the environmental map and the setting point, a route planning unit to plan the travel route by using the setting point on the environmental map stored in the storage unit, and a travel control unit to control the autonomous mobile device to autonomously travel along the travel route. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178668 | ENVIRONMENTAL MAP CORRECTION DEVICE AND AUTONOMOUS MOBILE DEVICE - An environmental map correction device that acquires an environmental map that matches an actual ambient environment includes a conversion unit arranged to convert object existence probability information of respective grids configuring a global map into image information (shading information of a black and white image, a display unit arranged to display a global map image based on the converted image information, an operation input unit arranged to receive a correcting operation from a user, a correction unit arranged to correct the global map image displayed by the display unit according to the correcting operation by the user, and an inversion unit arranged to acquire a corrected global map by inverting the corrected global map image (shading information) into the object existence probability information. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178657 | GUIDED VEHICLE SYSTEM - A guided vehicle system that achieves a higher conveyance efficiency by manipulating an exclusion control executed with respect to a junction section includes a traveling path, a plurality of guided vehicles, and a guided vehicle controller. The traveling path includes a linear section, an exit-side connecting path, and a second junction section where the linear section and the exit-side connecting path converge. The guided vehicles travel along the traveling path. The exit-side connecting path includes a standby section. The guided vehicle controller controls the movement of the guided vehicles. During a period until a prescribed number of guided vehicles has stopped in the standby section of the exit-side connecting path, the guided vehicle controller allows guided vehicles to pass from the linear section to the second junction section continuously while making guided vehicles wait at the standby section of the exit-side connecting path. | 07-21-2011 |
20110176182 | IMAGE SCANNING DEVICE - An image scanning device includes a housing, a scanning carriage, and a first guide groove and a second guide groove. The housing includes a bottom chassis and a side wall member, and defines a document tray. A scanning carriage is movably arranged in the housing. The first guide groove and the second guide groove are arranged at the side wall members of the housing, and guide the scanning carriage in a scanning direction. | 07-21-2011 |
20110166737 | ROUTE PLANNING METHOD, ROUTE PLANNING DEVICE AND AUTONOMOUS MOBILE DEVICE - A route planning device that is capable of comprehending, in advance, a route clearance at a pass-through point on a planned travel route, includes a global map acquisition unit arranged to generate a global map showing an obstacle area in which an obstacle exists, an extended area generation unit arranged to generate an extended obstacle area and three extended area by extending stepwise an outline of the obstacle area contained in the global map, an integrated map generation unit arranged to generate an integrated map by superposing for integration of the extended obstacle area with the three extended areas; a movable area extraction unit arranged to extract a movable area from the integrated map and thinning the same, and a route planning unit arranged to acquire a route clearance at a sub goal according to the extended areas on the integrated map to which the sub goal on the travel route belongs, upon planning the travel route from the thinned movable area. | 07-07-2011 |
20110161525 | RELAY SERVER AND RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - In a relay communication system in which remote LANs communicate with one another beyond a WAN, respective apparatuses confirm a virtual network environment of the relay communication system in real time. Relay servers relay mutual communication between client terminals. The relay server creates information shown below, and allows the whole of the relay communication system to share the information: a relay group information indicating virtual private IP addresses of the relay servers and a connection establishment state therebetween; and a relay server information indicating a virtual private IP address and connection establishment state of a client terminal capable of communicating with the relay server. The respective apparatuses in the relay communication system can share the information regarding the virtual private IP addresses and connection establishment states of all the apparatuses, and can flexibly execute communication in which the virtual private IP addresses are designated as destinations for communication. | 06-30-2011 |