A rack for holding flat panels containing PCM while the flat panels are conditioned and a method of conditioning the flat panels. The rack includes a frame structure defining an interior through which a conditioning air flow is directed. The interior includes a plurality of vertically spaced shelves for supporting the flat panels in a vertically spaced apart arrangement. The shelves are configured to hold the flat panels with at least a majority of their upper and lower surfaces in contact with the conditioning air flow. A conditioning method includes arranging the flat panels in a spaced apart array in the rack to create air flow channels between adjacent surfaces of the flat panels. Air is circulated between and in contact with the flat panels at a first temperature sufficient to bring the temperature of the PCM in each flat panel at least closer to a required temperature range.

A block stacking arrangement having multiple container stacking slots and a loading space arranged below the container stacking slots in a direction of gravity, a pass-through opening being arranged between each container stacking slot and the loading space, via which a container can be moved out of the loading space into the container stacking slot or from the container stacking slot into the loading space and which has a holding device. Good flexibility of the block stacking arrangement is achieved at least because at least two pass-through openings have different sizes.

A joining apparatus magazine temporarily stores a plurality of joining elements loaded from a loading station and feeds the joining elements to a joining head connected to an assembly line robot. The magazine comprises a housing connectable to the joining head; a drive motor; and a rotary body rotatable about an axis by the drive motor. The rotary body includes a plurality of chambers for temporarily storing joining elements. The magazine further comprises a loading arrangement operable for loading joining elements into the chambers; and an unloading arrangement operable for discharging a joining element from the chamber toward the joining head. The loading arrangement and the unloading arrangement are coupled together such that either a chamber can be loaded or a chamber can be unloaded.

A vehicle for delivering a plurality of packages disposed in a plurality of bins is described. The vehicle includes a grid of a plurality of motorized tiles configured to enable movement of the plurality of bins within the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a robotic arm disposed at a vehicle rear portion. The robotic arm may be configured to load or unload a bin to or from the grid of the plurality of motorized tiles. The robotic arm may be attached to a linear actuator that is configured to move the robotic arm in a vehicle interior portion.

A control apparatus includes a first information acquiring section that acquires three-dimensional information of a first region of surfaces of a plurality of objects, the information being obtained by imaging or scanning the plurality of objects from a first location; a second information acquiring section that acquires three-dimensional information of a second region of surfaces of the plurality of objects, the information being obtained by imaging or scanning the plurality of objects from a second location; and a combining section that generates information indicating three-dimensional shapes of at least a portion of the surfaces of the plurality of objects, based on the three-dimensional information of the first region acquired by the first information acquiring section and the three-dimensional information of the second region acquired by the second information acquiring section.

A modular handling system of tubular elements includes processing stations and loading and unloading areas. Each processing station includes a support structure and one or more modules operatively coupled to the support structure and configured to receive a tubular element in support. The modules are arranged sliding on the support structure along a first longitudinal axis thereof and each module includes a movement unit of the tubular elements having a longitudinal mover of the tubular elements so as to enable a movement of the tubular elements along the first longitudinal axis, and a rotation system of the tubular elements about a second longitudinal axis of the tubular elements. The modular system further includes a translator coupled to the support structure for moving the tubular elements between the loading and unloading areas and the processing stations.

An automated cargo unloading machine is disclosed herein. The automated cargo unloading machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is an automated cargo unloading machine for unloading cargo loaded inside a cargo box including a main body frame, robotic arm devices provided at both sides of the main body frame, respectively, to unload the loaded cargo, and a conveyor device which is mounted on the main body frame, which is provided between the robotic arm devices, on which the cargo unloaded by the robotic arm devices is seated, and which transports the seated cargo to rearward.

A kitting system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the kitting system includes a conveyance structure configured to impart to an item a first net resultant force substantially in a first direction, wherein the first direction is associated with a direction of flow from a source end of the conveyance structure to a destination end opposite the source end and associated with a pick-up zone from which the item is to be retrieved; a sensor configured to provide a sensor output associated with the pick-up zone; and a processor configured to provide a control input to one or both of the conveyance structure and a disrupter device associated with the conveyance structure based at least in part on the sensor output.

Provided in this disclosure is an actuatable quick changeover device stand for placing and removing a load from a bed of a vehicle. The device stand includes a traversable base having a planar surface for supporting the load and configured for rearward displacement off the open gate end of the bed. First and second support assemblies are mounted to the traversable base and configured to extend onto an underlying surface behind the open gate end of the bed to support the load. A pivoting support assembly is mounted to the traversable base and configured for pivoting into contact with the bed to support the load during the rearward displacement. An actuator is connected to the pivoting support assembly for inclining the pivoting support assembly toward the bed at a predetermined tilt angle with respect to the planar surface of the traversable base.