A conveyor system includes at least one conveyor table and an awareness flag mechanism. The awareness flag mechanism includes a support rod mounted to the at least one conveyor table and extending outwardly therefrom in a cross-conveying direction. A counterweight assembly includes a support shaft pivotally connected to the support rod. The support shaft has a resiliently flexible portion. Aa counterweight is located at a lower end of the support shaft. Aa flag is located at an opposite, upper end of the support shaft. The counterweight biases the counterweight assembly toward an upright, awareness configuration where the flag is located above a conveying surface of the at least one conveyor table.

A conveyor system includes at least one conveyor table and an awareness flag mechanism. The awareness flag mechanism includes a support rod mounted to the at least one conveyor table and extending outwardly therefrom in a cross-conveying direction. A counterweight assembly includes a support shaft pivotally connected to the support rod. The support shaft has a resiliently flexible portion. Aa counterweight is located at a lower end of the support shaft. Aa flag is located at an opposite, upper end of the support shaft. The counterweight biases the counterweight assembly toward an upright, awareness configuration where the flag is located above a conveying surface of the at least one conveyor table.

A method of operating a conveyor system includes providing a fixed, non-powered first rail supporting first and second trolleys of a first carrier, at least one of which is self-driving. The first and second trolley are conveyed in line along the first rail with a load bar therebetween. The first carrier defines a length measured along the first rail and a width measured transverse. The first carrier is conveyed to a branch point where a second rail branches from the first rail. The second trolley is conveyed along the second the rail to turn the first carrier so that it is conveyed with the load bar traversing between the first and second rails. The width is substantially less than the length such that the turning of the first carrier reduces an occupancy of the first carrier along the first rail.

A method of operating a conveyor system includes providing a fixed, non-powered first rail supporting first and second trolleys of a first carrier, at least one of which is self-driving. The first and second trolley are conveyed in line along the first rail with a load bar therebetween. The first carrier defines a length measured along the first rail and a width measured transverse. The first carrier is conveyed to a branch point where a second rail branches from the first rail. The second trolley is conveyed along the second the rail to turn the first carrier so that it is conveyed with the load bar traversing between the first and second rails. The width is substantially less than the length such that the turning of the first carrier reduces an occupancy of the first carrier along the first rail.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the single-track or multi-track conveying of objects along a conveying path extending in a conveying direction, wherein the conveying path for at least one track comprises at least one conveying device that takes over objects at the input side from a functional unit connected upstream and that transfers objects at the output side to a functional unit connected downstream; and wherein the conveying device as a whole and/or in an output-side end region is adjustable transversely to the conveying direction by means of an adjustment device such that the transverse position of objects to be transferred is changed within the respective track.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the single-track or multi-track conveying of objects along a conveying path extending in a conveying direction, wherein the conveying path for at least one track comprises at least one conveying device that takes over objects at the input side from a functional unit connected upstream and that transfers objects at the output side to a functional unit connected downstream; and wherein the conveying device as a whole and/or in an output-side end region is adjustable transversely to the conveying direction by means of an adjustment device such that the transverse position of objects to be transferred is changed within the respective track.

An automated storage and retrieval system comprising an automated storage and retrieval grid and a delivery system. The automated storage and retrieval grid includes a container handling vehicle rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles and a delivery column adapted for transport of a storage container arranged in a stack of storage containers beneath the container handling vehicle rail system between a container handling vehicle and a delivery port situated at a lower end of the delivery column. The container handling vehicle rail system includes a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent container handling vehicle grid cells. Each container handling vehicle grid cell includes a container handling vehicle grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails. The delivery system includes a remotely operated delivery vehicle including a container carrier adapted to support the storage container. The delivery vehicle is further adapted to transport the storage container between the delivery port and a second location for handling of the storage container by at least one of a robotic operator and a human operator.

An automated storage and retrieval system comprising an automated storage and retrieval grid and a delivery system. The automated storage and retrieval grid includes a container handling vehicle rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles and a delivery column adapted for transport of a storage container arranged in a stack of storage containers beneath the container handling vehicle rail system between a container handling vehicle and a delivery port situated at a lower end of the delivery column. The container handling vehicle rail system includes a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent container handling vehicle grid cells. Each container handling vehicle grid cell includes a container handling vehicle grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails. The delivery system includes a remotely operated delivery vehicle including a container carrier adapted to support the storage container. The delivery vehicle is further adapted to transport the storage container between the delivery port and a second location for handling of the storage container by at least one of a robotic operator and a human operator.

A wear amount estimation device estimates the amount of wear on mover wheels of a conveying device having a mover movable by a wheel-type guide mechanism, the mover being driven and controlled by a linear motor. The wear amount estimation device includes: a data acquisition unit that acquires, as estimation data, information on a control current flowing through the linear motor in order to drive and control the mover and information on a controlled position or speed of the driven mover; a storage unit that stores a wear amount estimation model for estimating the amount of wear; and a calculation unit that estimates the amount of wear by inputting the estimation data to the wear amount estimation model.

A determination section determines that a transport vehicle entered a curved zone from a straight zone based on a front-rear rotation speed difference between the rotation speed of a first rear wheel and a second rear wheel and the rotation speed of at least either a first or second front wheel. A measurement section measures a distance-to-curve, which is the distance that the transport vehicle travels from when a detector detects a detection target until when the determination section determines that the transport vehicle entered the curved zone from the straight zone. If the detector detects a curve ahead detection target while curve ahead information is stored in a storage section, a travel control section executes speed change control before or when the transport vehicle enters the curved zone.