A conveyance apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a workpiece, a support unit supporting the conveyor, and a work device which performs a work to the workpiece within a conveying range of the conveyor supported by the support unit.

A substrate transport system includes a hand, a main positioning member permanently mounted on a base, where the main positioning member is engageable with the hand at a position offset by a first distance in the first axis direction and offset by a second distance in the second axis direction from a substrate transfer position, and a control unit that stores a position coordinate in the first axis direction and a position coordinate in the second axis direction of the hand in a state where the hand is positioned by being engaged with the main positioning member.

Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation system is provided that comprises an automated machine having an arm, and a ply manipulation tool attached to the arm of the automated machine. The ply manipulation tool includes a first shuttle including a first gripper, a second shuttle including a second gripper, and an actuator. The ply manipulation system further comprises a processor that automatically controls the actuator to move the first and second shuttles linearly with respect to one another to adapt the first and second grippers to a ply shape. In another embodiment, the first and second shuttles include one or more clamping elements moveable to a position to be deployed outside a perimeter of the ply. Methods for removing a ply from a sheet of material using a ply manipulation tool also are provided.

Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation tool module is provided that comprises a first shuttle including a first gripper and a first clamping element, and a second shuttle including a second gripper and a second clamping element. The first and second shuttles move with respect to one another along a path to position the first and second grippers to grip a ply and to position the first and second clamping elements outside the ply. In a particular embodiment, the ply manipulation tool module includes a lead screw and nut assemblies, the nut assemblies moving along the lead screw to position one or more grippers for gripping components. Ply manipulation tool assemblies comprising at least two modules also are provided.

A glass product transport apparatus is provided. The glass product transport apparatus includes a slotted element assembly configured to engage a narrowed portion of a glass product. A carriage assembly has a longitudinal slot configured to receive the slotted element assembly for longitudinal movement. An actuator is connected to the slotted element assembly and configured to move the slotted element assembly in a longitudinal direction. A rail structure is configured to support the carriage assembly. The slotted element assembly is configured to retain the glass product in the event power is removed from the actuator.

The present invention relates to a machine (50) for the processing of linen items (L) in an industrial laundry (1), such as for receiving, reorienting and transferring a linen item (L) from a loader (100) to a movable linen carrier (20), with a transfer mechanism (200) comprising: a carriage (250), a drive (201) for moving said carriage (250) between a loading posi-tion and a discharge position, said carriage (250) including a frame structure (257) with two spaced apart clamping structures (270), each being rotationally connected to the frame structure (257), each clamping structure (270) comprising two spaced apart activata-ble clamps (229), and actuators (251, 280) for said rotation and said activation of said clamps (229).

A gripping device for gripping an egg tray (3A) having a dimpled structure includes a gripping unit (4) that is movable up and down to engage and grip the egg tray (3A) and move it. The gripping unit comprises (4) at least a pair of opposite grip ping members (42A, 42B) which are movable in opposite directions, substantially transverse to the up and down movement of the unit (4), from a retracted position to an advanced position to grip a dimple (31) of the egg tray (3A), and from the advanced position to the retracted position to release the dimple. Each gripping member (42A, 42B) of said pair has a separate pressure operated actuator (46) operatively connected to it. The actuator (46), upon pressurization, moves the corresponding gripping member (42A, 42B) from the retracted position to the advanced position.

A processing system includes a robot arm with an end effector having a longitudinal axis, the robot arm having a reach of at least 45 inches, wherein the end effector includes: a first wafer pocket defined within the end effector at a first location along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first wafer pocket has the reach of at least 45 inches; and a second wafer pocket defined within the end effector at a second location along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second wafer pocket has a second reach that is less than 45 inches. The end effector is capable of concurrently carrying a first wafer in the first wafer pocket and a second wafer in the second wafer pocket.

A process for recognizing the orientation of a fruit (F), having a central axis of symmetry passing through the concave parts of the fruit (F), comprises an initial measurement step in which the measuring instrument measures its distance from the sample fruit (Fo), an individual measurement step of each fruit (F) to be treated travelling on the fruit multiple lanes tape (7), a comparison step in which the distance measured in the individual measurement step of each fruit (F) to be treated is compared with the distances measured in the initial measurement step of the sample fruit (Fo), in order to assess whether the distance measured in the individual measurement step is that one of a concave part of the fruit (F) or that one of a convex part of the fruit (F), and a check step that determines that the fruit (F) is correctly oriented or not. An apparatus that embodies this method is also described.

A device for coating containers using a coating process with a main supporting frame, which includes: a container conveying device, a treatment station for coating the containers, and a transfer device, which moves the containers between the conveying device and the treatment station. The transfer device has a gripper unit, which is mounted pivotably along a pivot axis aligned parallel to the conveying device on a gripper frame, which is arranged fixed in place in relation to the main supporting frame during operation. The gripper unit is mounted on a carriage connected to the gripper frame. Thee carriage performs linear movements in three mutually perpendicular directions. The gripper unit is movable between a first position, in which it can grip the containers in the region of the conveying device, and a second position, in which it can insert the containers into the treatment station and fetch them from it.