An article conveyance apparatus includes a carriage which travels along a predetermined travel path, and an on-ground facility including a pair of traveling rails which define the travel path. The carriage includes a first slider which operates according to magnetic action to drive a transfer mechanism, and a drive transmission mechanism which supports the first slider and transmits a driving force from the first slider to the transfer mechanism. The on-ground facility includes a first stator which applies magnetic action to the first slider in the carriage to operate the first slider. The first stator includes an opening through which the drive transmission mechanism of the carriage passes. The opening is disposed in a position such that the inside of the first stator is not seen from the opening in top view of the first stator.

A sorting system, comprising: a conveying mechanism (1) and a control system (2). The conveying mechanism comprises: a rack (11); two rollers (15, 16) arranged on the rack at intervals along a first horizontal direction; a chain (12) wound around the two rollers; and a plurality of trolleys (13) respectively connected to the chain and sequentially arranged along the first horizontal direction. Each trolley comprises a trolley body (131) and a sorting and conveying mechanism (132) arranged on the trolley body, and the bottom of the trolley body is connected to the chain.

This new application collects data from indoor and outdoor environments and with that data compiles databases, analyzes that data and finds relationships between pollutants, microbes, matter and diseases in humans, plants and animals. This new application is called the Artificial Intelligence Doctor. The application utilizes artificial intelligence, machine learning and parallel conveyor belts with imbedded microscope slides for the identification and analysis of microbes and matter. The application identifies microbes and matter using static electricity applied to microscope slides imbedded in conveyor belts using light microscopes, electron microscopes, polarized light microscopes, x ray machines, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. The easy transfer conveyor belt system utilizes migration of microbes and microbes from drones and robots for easier identification.

An order fulfillment system is disclosed in which objects to be collected into orders are provided in output totes. The system includes a primary sortation system that includes a loop conveyance system that moves objects around a closed loop that includes a plurality of primary sortation exits, each of which leads to a location inside the closed loop, and a secondary sortation system that includes a plurality of secondary conveyances, each of which receives an object at one of the plurality of primary sortation exits, and conveys the object to one of a plurality of totes, the plurality of totes being within the closed loop of the primary sortation system.

An order fulfillment system is disclosed in which objects to be collected into orders are provided in output totes. The system includes a primary sortation system that includes a loop conveyance system that moves objects around a closed loop that includes a plurality of primary sortation exits, each of which leads to a location inside the closed loop, and a secondary sortation system that includes a plurality of secondary conveyances, each of which receives an object at one of the plurality of primary sortation exits, and conveys the object to one of a plurality of totes, the plurality of totes being within the closed loop of the primary sortation system.

A sorting system, comprising: a conveying mechanism (1) and a control system (2). The conveying mechanism comprises: a rack (11); two rollers (15, 16) arranged on the rack at intervals along a first horizontal direction; a chain (12) wound around the two rollers; and a plurality of trolleys (13) respectively connected to the chain and sequentially arranged along the first horizontal direction. Each trolley comprises a trolley body (131) and a sorting and conveying mechanism (132) arranged on the trolley body, and the bottom of the trolley body is connected to the chain.

An article sorting control apparatus includes a memory, a processor, and a communication interface. The memory stores sorting destination management information including reference conveyance route information, fixed sorting destination information, and dynamic sorting destination information. The processor selects a first diverging control signal or a second diverging control signal. The communication interface transmits the first or the second diverging control signal to an article sorting apparatus.

An article conveyance apparatus includes a carriage which travels along a predetermined travel path, and an on-ground facility including a pair of traveling rails which define the travel path. The carriage includes a first slider which operates according to magnetic action to drive a transfer mechanism, and a drive transmission mechanism which supports the first slider and transmits a driving force from the first slider to the transfer mechanism. The on-ground facility includes a first stator which applies magnetic action to the first slider in the carriage to operate the first slider. The first stator includes an opening through which the drive transmission mechanism of the carriage passes. The opening is disposed in a position such that the inside of the first stator is not seen from the opening in top view of the first stator.

A picking facility includes a first conveyor that transports a container containing an article, a picking apparatus that takes out a target article from the container, a second conveyor that transports the target article that has been taken out, and a working space. The working space is provided on a side opposite to the second conveyor with the first conveyor being located between the working space and the second conveyor. The picking apparatus is arranged at a position that overlaps at least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor and does not overlap the working space in a plan view.

A torque transmission device (1) is provided for a crossbelt-sorter-cart (200) comprising a crossbelt (210). The torque transmission device (1) comprises a rotatable drive end (10) configured to be coupled to a drive (13, 120) for driving the crossbelt (210) of the crossbelt-sorter-cart (200). A rotatable crossbelt end (20) is configured to be coupled to the crossbelt (210) of the crossbelt-sorter-cart (200). An unrotatable support (30) is configured to be fixed to the crossbelt-sorter-cart (200). A coupling (40) connects the drive end (10) to the crossbelt end (20) at the support (30). The coupling (40) allows a transmission of a drive torque originating from the rotating drive end (10) to the crossbelt end (20) and inhibits a belt torque originating from the rotating crossbelt end (20).