ACCUMULATION DEVICE AND ACCUMULATING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an accumulation device and an accumulating method capable of reducing load on an article while suppressing a space necessary for installation of a line compared with a conventional constitution which realizes securement of required storage amount of articles and securement of synchronization of articles to a process.SOLUTION: An accumulation device 200 comprises: a transportation part 21 having a plurality of movable elements 2 capable of transporting an article 5 and a transportation path 20R through which the plurality of movable elements 2 individually move; and a storage part 25 for storing the articles 5 supplied via the movable elements 2 of the transportation part 21, by arranging the articles 5 side by side in an arrangement direction D1 crossing to the transportation path 20R. The storage part 25 is so constituted that the article 5 can be moved in the arrangement direction D1, and the supplied article 5 is made to retreat in the arrangement direction D1 with respect to the subsequent article 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 【課題】必要な物品貯留量の確保、および処理に対する物品の同期の確保を実現する従来の構成と比べて、ラインの設置に必要なスペースを抑えながら、物品への負荷を軽減することが可能なアキュームレーション装置およびアキュームレーティング方法の提供。【解決手段】アキュームレーション装置２００は、物品５を搬送可能な複数の可動子２、および複数の可動子２が個別に移動する搬送路２０Ｒを有する搬送部２１と、搬送部２１の可動子２を介して供給される物品５を、搬送路２０Ｒと交差する配列方向Ｄ１に並べて貯留する貯留部２５とを備える。貯留部２５は、物品５を配列方向Ｄ１に移動可能に構成され、供給された物品５を後続の物品５に対して配列方向Ｄ１へと退避させる。【選択図】図３