| CPC B65G 1/0421 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0435 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0283 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. An automated warehouse comprising:
a conveyance device including:
a traveling device to travel in a first direction;
a support carriage provided to the traveling device;
a first transfer device provided to the support carriage to transfer a material to and from a first placement element;
a second transfer device located next to the first transfer device in the first direction on the support carriage to transfer the material to and from a second placement element; and
a lateral conveyor to laterally move the first transfer device in the first direction on the support carriage;
a switch to switch between a first state enabling lateral movement of the first transfer device, and a second state disabling the lateral movement of the first transfer device; and
a transfer controller to control the traveling device and/or the lateral conveyor based on current positions of the first transfer device and the second transfer device, and positions of the first placement element and the second placement element; wherein
even when an inter-transfer-device distance between the first transfer device and the second transfer device is able to be made equal or substantially equal to an inter-shelf distance between the first placement element and the second placement element by the lateral conveyor, when the second state is selected by the switch, the transfer controller controls the traveling device to move the first transfer device and the second transfer device to positions corresponding to the first placement element and the second placement element without moving the first transfer device laterally.
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