A method for conveying a reaction tube unit including a vertical reaction tube and a gas supply pipe provided at a distance from an inner wall of the vertical reaction tube along a longitudinal direction thereof, the method includes: arranging a buffer inside the reaction tube between the inner wall and the gas supply pipe to alleviate a collision; placing the reaction tube unit attached with the buffer on a carriage via a vibration isolator; and conveying the reaction tube unit by moving the carriage.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

A palletizing elevator is provided that lowers gradually a pallet thereon from an upper level as it is filled with products, and by providing an empty pallet infeed system that moves empty pallets towards the palletizing elevator simultaneously to the palletizing of products thereon. The empty pallet infeed system includes an empty pallet elevator for raising empty pallets to the upper level and a conveying system between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving the empty pallets of from the empty pallet elevator at the upper level to the palletizing elevator while a pallet is moved by the palletizing elevator during its filling.

A laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to one embodiment includes a laser generating device (14) that generates a laser beam, a flotation unit (10) that causes a workpiece (16) that is to be irradiated with the laser beam to float, and a conveying unit (11) that conveys the floating workpiece (16). The conveying unit (11) conveys the workpiece (16) with the conveying unit (11) holding the workpiece (16) at a position where the conveying unit (11) does not overlap an irradiation position (15) of the laser beam. The laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to one embodiment makes it possible to suppress uneven irradiation with a laser beam.

A substrate processing device includes shafts, rollers, a gas blowing unit, bearings, and s suction unit. The shafts include internal spaces and first through holes communicated with the internal spaces. The rollers are attached to the shafts to be rotatable about axes of the shafts for conveying a substrate. The gas blowing unit is configured to blow gas to the substrate carried by the rollers. The bearings support the shafts to be rotatable and include second through holes communicated with the first through holes of the shafts. The bearings include inner rings fitted on the shafts, outer rings opposed to outer peripheries of the inner rings, respectively, and rolling components disposed between the inner rings and the outer rings. The suction unit is configured to suck air in the internal spaces of the shafts.

In a laser irradiation apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, each of first and second flotation units 30a, 30b includes a base 31, and a porous plate 32 bonded to an upper surface of the base 31 by an adhesive layer 34, the base 31 includes a rising portion 312 protruding upward at an outer periphery facing at least the gap, and the porous plate 32 includes a cutout portion 321 configured to fit to the rising portion 312, and the adhesive layer 34 is formed along an inner wall of the rising portion 312 having fitted to the cutout portion 321.

In a laser irradiation apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, each of first and second flotation units 30a, 30b includes a base 31, and a porous plate 32 bonded to an upper surface of the base 31 by an adhesive layer 34, the base 31 includes a rising portion 312 protruding upward at an outer periphery facing at least the gap, and the porous plate 32 includes a cutout portion 321 configured to fit to the rising portion 312, and the adhesive layer 34 is formed along an inner wall of the rising portion 312 having fitted to the cutout portion 321.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.