A vehicle includes running wheels traveling on traveling road surfaces of tracks; a pair of position detection parts disposed at an interval in a width direction that output signals by detecting a distance from measured objects; a control unit controlling the amount of steering of the running wheels according to the signals from the position detection parts; and a steering mechanism steering the running wheels via the control unit. Each of the position detection parts outputs a signal having characteristics such that the output increases as the distance from the measured objects increases while an output change ratio is decreased in a range wherein the distance from the measured objects is not less than a predetermined value, and is configured such that, when the distance between one position detection part and the measured object is decreased, the distance between the other position detection part and the measured object is increased.

A vehicle includes running wheels traveling on traveling road surfaces of tracks; a pair of position detection parts disposed at an interval in a width direction that output signals by detecting a distance from measured objects; a control unit controlling the amount of steering of the running wheels according to the signals from the position detection parts; and a steering mechanism steering the running wheels via the control unit. Each of the position detection parts outputs a signal having characteristics such that the output increases as the distance from the measured objects increases while an output change ratio is decreased in a range wherein the distance from the measured objects is not less than a predetermined value, and is configured such that, when the distance between one position detection part and the measured object is decreased, the distance between the other position detection part and the measured object is increased.

An attraction loading system is provided that includes a turntable configured to rotate about a vertical axis. A ride vehicle is configured to travel along a loading path disposed about a perimeter of the turntable. A first track switch of the system is disposed along the loading path to direct the ride vehicle to a main portion of the loading path from an attraction path, or to direct the ride vehicle to the main portion of the loading path from a secondary portion of the loading path. A second track switch of the system is disposed along the loading path to direct the ride vehicle from the main portion of the loading path to the attraction path, or to direct the ride vehicle from the main portion of the loading path to the secondary portion of the loading path.

An attraction loading system is provided that includes a turntable configured to rotate about a vertical axis. A ride vehicle is configured to travel along a loading path disposed about a perimeter of the turntable. A first track switch of the system is disposed along the loading path to direct the ride vehicle to a main portion of the loading path from an attraction path, or to direct the ride vehicle to the main portion of the loading path from a secondary portion of the loading path. A second track switch of the system is disposed along the loading path to direct the ride vehicle from the main portion of the loading path to the attraction path, or to direct the ride vehicle from the main portion of the loading path to the secondary portion of the loading path.

A power transmitter provided according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a high-frequency power source device, a power transmitting unit, and a transmitter-side controller. The high-frequency power source device generates high-frequency power. The power transmitting unit includes a power-transmitting coil. The power transmitting unit wirelessly transmits the high-frequency power received from the high-frequency power source device to a power receiver mounted on an electric vehicle. The transmitter-side controller calculates a transmitter usage rate. The transmitter-side controller causes the power transmitting unit to stop power transmission in response to the transmitter usage rate exceeding a predetermined threshold. The transmitter usage rate indicates a rate of time during which the power transmitting unit transmits power to the power receiver per unit time.

An unloading arrangement, an unloading station, and a method of unloading an item (5) from a storage container (6), comprising: a delivery vehicle (30); a storage container (6) carried by the delivery vehicle (30); and an unloading station (10) for unloading an item (5) from the storage container (6) while it is being carried by the delivery vehicle (30) in an automatic storage and retrieval system (1), the unloading station (10) comprising: an unloading device (40); and a destination conveyor (60) configured to convey the item (5) to a target destination (TD), wherein the unloading device (40) is configured to move the item (5) through a side opening of the storage container (6) to the destination conveyor (60).

An unloading arrangement, an unloading station, and a method of unloading an item (5) from a storage container (6), comprising: a delivery vehicle (30); a storage container (6) carried by the delivery vehicle (30); and an unloading station (10) for unloading an item (5) from the storage container (6) while it is being carried by the delivery vehicle (30) in an automatic storage and retrieval system (1), the unloading station (10) comprising: an unloading device (40); and a destination conveyor (60) configured to convey the item (5) to a target destination (TD), wherein the unloading device (40) is configured to move the item (5) through a side opening of the storage container (6) to the destination conveyor (60).

A system is provided that includes a self-propelled platform that can traverse a first rail of a first vehicle and a first rail of a second vehicle, the first rail of the first vehicle and the first rail of the second vehicle separated in spaced relation. The self-propelled platform has a wheel assembly that can engage the first rail of the first vehicle and the first rail of the second vehicle. The wheel assembly may include at least one guide extending away from the self-propelled platform and having a size and shape to engage a first rail of the first vehicle or the first rail of the second vehicle while a portion of the self-propelled platform remains on the first rail of the first vehicle and the first rail of the second vehicle, to guide the wheel assembly onto the first rail of the first vehicle or the first rail of the second vehicle.

A wheel drive cart for a transporting and/or sorting system configured to tow a plurality of loading carts movable along a closed path, constituted by a first and a second rail parallel to each other, between a loading and unloading stations. The cart includes a pair of direct drive wheels without reducers, with each wheel including an electric motor having a stator, integral with a bracket hinged to a frame of the cart, and a rotor, a peripheral outward facing portion of which forms a cylindrical surface of the wheel designed to roll on a resting surface of a respective rail.

An overhead transport vehicle includes a vibration-proof portion disposed between a belt and a lift device. The vibration-proof portion includes a first connection mechanism disposed on a side where a first load acts in a width direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both a travelling direction and a lifting direction of the lift device, and a second connection mechanism disposed on a side where a second load larger than the first load acts in the width direction, and which has a larger repulsive force than that of the first connection mechanism.