Production system for series production of in particular motor vehicles, includes a container storage area storing containers containing components for production, production shelves, remote from container storage area, from which workers remove components from containers. Transport for transporting containers from container storage area to production shelves. Transport has automated guided vehicle (AGV) on which transport shelf is situated and designed so containers are automatically delivered from transport shelf to production shelves in a conveying direction (delivery direction). Handling device situated on AGV, has a base body and a handling unit situated on base body. Handling unit removes containers from transport shelf in conveying direction and delivering containers to production shelf. Relative to base body, handling unit is linearly adjustable along first linear adjustment axis in conveying direction, along a second linear adjustment axis transverse to conveying direction, height-adjustable along a third adjustment axis, and rotatable about vertical fourth adjustment axis.

Production system for series production of in particular motor vehicles, includes a container storage area storing containers containing components for production, production shelves, remote from container storage area, from which workers remove components from containers. Transport for transporting containers from container storage area to production shelves. Transport has automated guided vehicle (AGV) on which transport shelf is situated and designed so containers are automatically delivered from transport shelf to production shelves in a conveying direction (delivery direction). Handling device situated on AGV, has a base body and a handling unit situated on base body. Handling unit removes containers from transport shelf in conveying direction and delivering containers to production shelf. Relative to base body, handling unit is linearly adjustable along first linear adjustment axis in conveying direction, along a second linear adjustment axis transverse to conveying direction, height-adjustable along a third adjustment axis, and rotatable about vertical fourth adjustment axis.

A system for aligning items, which includes a packaging box transfer device to transfer a packaging box accommodating items therein, a fixing device to fix, at a withdrawal position where the items are taken out of the packaging box, the packaging box transferred by the packaging box transfer device with its top open, a withdrawal device to move to a space in which the items are accommodated in the packaging box so as to suck and take out the items, an item transfer device to transfer the items taken out by the withdrawal device with the items placed on the item transfer device, a sensor mounted on the withdrawal device to detect directions of the items taken out by the withdrawal device, and a rotating device to rotate the items taken out by the withdrawal device with the items placed on the rotating device.

A conveyor system includes a rail having one or more channels therein and one or more sleds operatively associated with the rail. A sled can include a body and one or more wheels mounted on the body and configured to move through the one or more channels in the rail. A sled can also include a holding device connected to the body. The holding device can be configured to engage a packaging container to move the packaging container along the rail. Multiple sleds can be used to secure a packaging container therebetween and move the packaging container along the rail. The conveyor system may also include a queue system that dynamically moves packaging containers to packaging stations.

A packaging system includes a first transfer station to receive a plurality of products thereon, a staging station comprising a track and a plurality of shuttle members configured to move along a path defined by the track, and a second transfer station comprising a robotic arm coupled to a plurality of gripping members. The plurality of gripping members can be configured to pick up the plurality of products from one or more of the plurality of shuttle members.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously packing folded laundry articles into a container are described. A packing system includes a refillable cartridge, a queue conveyor having one or more folded laundry articles and stacks of folded laundry articles disposed thereon, at least one retractable conveyor loading end between the refillable cartridge and the queue conveyor for loading the folded laundry articles into the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter for selectively raising and lowering the into and out of the container, and a controller in operative configuration with processors and drives of all of the foregoing and one or more sensors detecting a fill height of the refillable cartridge. The refillable cartridge includes a removable receiving surface that moves from a closed position to an open position during loading of the folded laundry by the retractable conveyor and unloading of the folded laundry into the container.

A system for taking out items wrapped in a packaging film and accommodated in a packaging box with an open top. The system includes a first conveyor configured to transfer a packaging box accommodating items therein, a fixing device for fixing, at a withdrawal position where the items are taken out of the packaging box, the packaging box transferred by the first conveyor with its top open, a withdrawal device for moving to a space in which the items are accommodated in the packaging box so as to suck the same using vacuum suction and take out the same, an item transfer device for transferring the items taken out by the withdrawal device with the items placed on the item transfer device, and a box transfer device for transferring an empty packaging box from which the items are taken out.

The endless path includes: a first region extending linearly in the transport direction and constituting a transport surface on which the object to be transported is placeable, turn-back regions in which the endless path is turned back downward from respective end portions of the first region in the transport direction; and a second region continuous with the turn-back regions and extending in the transport direction below the first region, and the second region has, between the two support legs in the transport direction, a specific zone that is parallel with the first region and in which a spacing from the first region in an up-down direction is smaller than a smallest turn-back dimension corresponding to twice a smallest bending radius of the endless member.

Disclosed are a matrix track system, a production line with associated loops and a production method using the production line. The matrix track system includes a plurality of track nodes which are arranged in a matrix and a plurality of fixed guide rails connecting the track nodes. The fixed guide rails include a plurality of longitudinal guide rails and a plurality of transverse guide rails. Each of the track nodes includes a turnout mechanism which includes a straight guide rail, an arc guide rail and a switch component for the switching of the straight guide rail and the arc guide rail.

A control device outputs an operation signal of a work equipment and a swing body for moving a work equipment to a loading point when receiving a loading command signal. The control device does not output a dumping operation signal for causing the bucket to dump earth in a case where an azimuth direction in which the swing body faces is within a first region from a starting point azimuth direction to a predetermined reference azimuth direction, the starting point azimuth direction being an azimuth direction in which the swing body faces when the loading command signal is received. The control device outputs the dumping operation signal in a case where the azimuth direction is within a second region from the reference azimuth direction to an end point azimuth direction in which the swing body faces when the work equipment is positioned at the loading point.