The present disclosure is directed to a wafer container including: a housing configured for transporting a plurality of wafers, wherein the plurality of wafers are stacked on a base of the housing in a first direction; a plurality of wafer separator rings; each of the wafer separator rings configured to encircle a wafer of the plurality of wafers in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the wafer separator rings including a top surface and a bottom surface, defining a thickness there between extending in the first direction, which is about 0.3 mm-1.4 mm; and each of the wafer separator rings including an inner side wall and an outer side wall defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, respectively, in the second direction, wherein the inner diameter of the wafer separator ring is greater than 300 mm and configured to be spaced apart from the wafer it is encircling.

The present disclosure is directed to a wafer container including: a housing configured for transporting a plurality of wafers, wherein the plurality of wafers are stacked on a base of the housing in a first direction; a plurality of wafer separator rings; each of the wafer separator rings configured to encircle a wafer of the plurality of wafers in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the wafer separator rings including a top surface and a bottom surface, defining a thickness there between extending in the first direction, which is about 0.3 mm-1.4 mm; and each of the wafer separator rings including an inner side wall and an outer side wall defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, respectively, in the second direction, wherein the inner diameter of the wafer separator ring is greater than 300 mm and configured to be spaced apart from the wafer it is encircling.

Provided is a position setting device that sets a position for stacking a second workpiece on a plurality of first workpieces. This position setting device is provided with a search unit that searches for a position where the second workpiece is allowed to be disposed on the first workpieces. The search unit includes a determination unit that determines whether to allow the second workpiece to be disposed so as to be supported on one of the first workpieces and another one of the first workpieces when the upper surface of the one first workpiece and the upper surface of the other first workpiece are different from each other in height. The determination unit allows the second workpiece to be disposed so as to be supported on both of the one first workpiece and the other first workpiece when the height difference is within a determination range.

Provided is a position setting device that sets a position for stacking a second workpiece on a plurality of first workpieces. This position setting device is provided with a search unit that searches for a position where the second workpiece is allowed to be disposed on the first workpieces. The search unit includes a determination unit that determines whether to allow the second workpiece to be disposed so as to be supported on one of the first workpieces and another one of the first workpieces when the upper surface of the one first workpiece and the upper surface of the other first workpiece are different from each other in height. The determination unit allows the second workpiece to be disposed so as to be supported on both of the one first workpiece and the other first workpiece when the height difference is within a determination range.

A method of operating a stacking head of a sod harvester includes: (a) repeatedly transferring sod slabs from a transfer station located along a conveyor assembly of the sod harvester to a pallet station of the sod harvester to form a loaded pallet at the pallet station; (b) during replacement of the loaded pallet with an empty pallet, forming a stack of slabs at the transfer station; and (c) transferring the stack of slabs from the transfer station to the pallet station for deposit on the empty pallet when received at the pallet station, and repeating (a) to (c) in a continuous sod harvesting process.

A method of operating a stacking head of a sod harvester includes: (a) repeatedly transferring sod slabs from a transfer station located along a conveyor assembly of the sod harvester to a pallet station of the sod harvester to form a loaded pallet at the pallet station; (b) during replacement of the loaded pallet with an empty pallet, forming a stack of slabs at the transfer station; and (c) transferring the stack of slabs from the transfer station to the pallet station for deposit on the empty pallet when received at the pallet station, and repeating (a) to (c) in a continuous sod harvesting process.

A method of operation of a mobile unit is described here. The method includes receiving a first signal to create a stack of totes on a conveying platform. Further, the method comprises receiving a second signal to lift the stack of totes in a vertical upward direction relative to the conveying platform. The method further comprises receiving a third signal to dispense a first tote from the stack of totes to a first location. The first tote is held at the conveying platform by a set of grippers of the mobile unit. Further, the method comprises receiving a fourth signal to travel to a second location to drop a second tote from the stack of totes. In some examples, the second tote corresponds to a current lowermost tote among the stack of totes and is held at the conveying platform by the set of grippers.

A method of operation of a mobile unit is described here. The method includes receiving a first signal to create a stack of totes on a conveying platform. Further, the method comprises receiving a second signal to lift the stack of totes in a vertical upward direction relative to the conveying platform. The method further comprises receiving a third signal to dispense a first tote from the stack of totes to a first location. The first tote is held at the conveying platform by a set of grippers of the mobile unit. Further, the method comprises receiving a fourth signal to travel to a second location to drop a second tote from the stack of totes. In some examples, the second tote corresponds to a current lowermost tote among the stack of totes and is held at the conveying platform by the set of grippers.

An article processing apparatus includes: a configuration determination unit configured to determine a configuration of at least one transport unit including articles, and stacked article groups each including a pallet, and at least one of the articles placed on the pallet, wherein the at least one of the articles is placed on the pallet in a manner that allows a pallet of another article group to be placed thereon, excluding uppermost one of the stacked article groups; a palletizing mechanism configured to place the at least one of the articles on the pallet so as to form each of the article groups included in the transport unit whose configuration is determined by the configuration determination unit; and a stacking mechanism configured to stack the article groups formed by the palletizing mechanism so as to form the transport unit determined by the configuration determination unit.

An article processing apparatus includes: a configuration determination unit configured to determine a configuration of at least one transport unit including articles, and stacked article groups each including a pallet, and at least one of the articles placed on the pallet, wherein the at least one of the articles is placed on the pallet in a manner that allows a pallet of another article group to be placed thereon, excluding uppermost one of the stacked article groups; a palletizing mechanism configured to place the at least one of the articles on the pallet so as to form each of the article groups included in the transport unit whose configuration is determined by the configuration determination unit; and a stacking mechanism configured to stack the article groups formed by the palletizing mechanism so as to form the transport unit determined by the configuration determination unit.