A conveying apparatus for a separator for a fuel cell includes: a conveying portion configured to hold an intermediate part of the separator and lift the separator; and restricting portions configured to restrict the opposite ends of the separator to warp the intermediate part of the separator in the lifting direction when the conveying portion lifts the separator. The restricting portions are configured to release the opposite ends when the intermediate part of the separator warps in the lifting direction with a target curvature amount.

A tray supplier which performs supplying and collecting of trays includes a supply-side tray storage unit, a collection-side tray storage unit, a first tray placer and a second tray placer on which the trays are placed, and a first placer mover and a second placer mover which respectively move the tray placers between the supply-side tray storage unit and the collection-side tray storage unit, in which a first movement shaft of the first placer mover and a second movement shaft of the second placer mover are disposed parallel to each other, lifting and lowering units which lift or lower the first tray placer and the second tray placer are provided, and interference between the placer movers does not occur.

A method and apparatus for loading substrates in an inspection station is disclosed herein. In one embodiment a loading module for a substrate inspection system is provided that includes a first conveyor module, and a second conveyor module having a movable surface positioned substantially parallel to a movable surface of the first conveyor module, wherein the first conveyor module includes a first section and a second section, the first section having a vacuum unit operable to secure a substrate to a portion of the movable surface in the first section, and the second section is configured to release the substrate from the movable surface.

A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a mounting surface, a non-contact chuck, and an extracting mechanism. The mounting surface receives workpieces stacked one above the other. The non-contact chuck is located above the workpieces to draw the uppermost workpiece. The extracting mechanism extracts the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece in a predetermined extracting direction.

A method and apparatus for loading substrates in an inspection station is disclosed herein. In one embodiment a loading module for a substrate inspection system is provided that includes a first conveyor module, and a second conveyor module having a movable surface positioned substantially parallel to a movable surface of the first conveyor module, wherein the first conveyor module includes a first section and a second section, the first section having a vacuum unit operable to secure a substrate to a portion of the movable surface in the first section, and the second section is configured to release the substrate from the movable surface.

A system for separating a workpiece from workpieces is provided. The system includes a stocker on which a plurality of workpieces are stored in a stacked state, a holding unit including at least one pair of inverted V-shaped pads that sandwich and clamp both ends of one of the workpieces, and a moving unit that moves at least one of the holding unit and the stocker so as to relatively move the stocker downward with respect to the holding unit, which is in a state where the one of the workpieces is clamped by the at least one pair of pads, and to separate the one of the workpieces from other workpieces.

A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a mounting surface, a non-contact chuck, and an extracting mechanism. The mounting surface receives workpieces stacked one above the other. The non-contact chuck is located above the workpieces to draw the uppermost workpiece. The extracting mechanism extracts the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece in a predetermined extracting direction.

A conveying and separating method and a device for separating sheet-shaped objects, for example preliminary chewing-gum products or intermediate chewing-gum products in the form of chewing-gum sheets, into strip-shaped or slab-shaped object sub-units. The conveying and separating method and device for separating sheet-shaped objects preferably separates sub-units one after another from each of the sheet-shaped objects at at least one weakened region on each of the sheet-shaped objects by a conveying and separating device that preferably has a revolving conveyor belt with suction elements that can be activated and deactivated. The suction elements pick up, hold, and convey the sheet-shaped object when the suction element is activated and release the sub-units when the suction element is deactivated.

An apparatus for repeatedly separating and displacing a topmost bag between a bag stack location and a second location. The apparatus comprises a separating manipulator having a prehension end-effector selectively activable/deactivable to seize and maintain the topmost bag and subsequently release the topmost bag. The separating manipulator is selectively configurable in a bag engaging configuration to seize a separation section of the topmost bag and a lifted configuration where the prehension end-effector is spaced-apart from a second topmost bag of the stack. The displacing manipulator has a prehension end-effector selectively activable/deactivable to seize and maintain a displacement engagement section of and to subsequently release the topmost bag. The prehension end-effector is translatable along the displacement axis X to displace the topmost bag between the bag stack location and the second location. A method for repeatedly separating and displacing a topmost bag of a stack of bags is also provided.

A system for separating a workpiece from workpieces is provided. The system includes a stocker on which a plurality of workpieces are stored in a stacked state, a holding unit including at least one pair of inverted V-shaped pads that sandwich and clamp both ends of one of the workpieces, and a moving unit that moves at least one of the holding unit and the stocker so as to relatively move the stocker downward with respect to the holding unit, which is in a state where the one of the workpieces is clamped by the at least one pair of pads, and to separate the one of the workpieces from other workpieces.