Item storage rack

Abstract

The article storage rack includes a first shelf unit, a second shelf unit, and a connecting support component (30). The connecting support component (30) is slidably mounted relative to a first target pillar (11T) of the first shelf unit in a parallel direction (D) between the target first pillar (11T) and a second target pillar (21T) of the second shelf unit. The connecting support component (30) can be fixed to the first target pillar (11T) and the second target pillar (21T) when in a first position (P1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article receiving rack. Background Art

[0002] For example, automated warehouses equipped with stacking cranes and conventional warehouses utilizing forklifts utilize racks for storing items. These racks are sometimes designed with a storage space that is long in the depth direction, for example, to accommodate items that are long in the depth direction or to accommodate multiple items side by side in the depth direction. In such cases, two rack units (a first rack unit and a second rack unit) are sometimes used, each having multiple supports, a beam member connecting the supports, and a support member for supporting the items. This configuration is disclosed, for example, in Figures 11 and 12 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-40125 (Patent Document 1).

[0003] When two shelf units are connected and used in this manner, there is a problem in that it is difficult to coordinate the height directions of the plurality of support members that support the same article. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0005] Therefore, it is desired that in an article storage rack in which two shelf units are connected and used, the height-direction position adjustment of support members for supporting articles can be easily performed.

[0006] Solutions to Problems

[0007] The article storage rack involved in the present disclosure is an article storage rack for storing articles, comprising: a first rack unit comprising a plurality of first pillars, a first beam member connecting the first pillars to each other, and a first support member for supporting the article at a specified height, the first support member being mounted on the first pillars or the first beam member; a second rack unit comprising a plurality of second pillars, a second beam member connecting the second pillars to each other, and a second support member for supporting the article at the specified height, the second support member being mounted on the second pillars or the second beam member; a connecting support member, with one of the plurality of first pillars as the target first pillar and one of the plurality of second pillars as the target second pillar, connecting the target first pillar and the target second pillar in a mutually adjacent state and supporting the article at the specified height; the target first pillar having a first threaded hole for threadably engaging a first bolt for fixing the connecting support member; the target second pillar having a fixing portion for the connecting support member and a second screw threaded hole for threadably engaging with a second bolt used for the coupling; the direction in which the first and second target pillars are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction is the side-by-side direction, and the side on which the first and second target pillars are arranged relative to the second target pillars in the side-by-side direction is the first side in the side-by-side direction; the connecting support member includes a first insertion through-hole through which the first bolt can be inserted and a second insertion through-hole through which the second bolt can be inserted, and is slidably mounted in the side-by-side direction between a first position and a second position relative to the first target pillar; when the connecting support member is in the first position, the first screw threaded hole is connected to the first insertion through-hole, and the second screw threaded hole is connected to the second insertion through-hole; when the connecting support member is in the second position, the first insertion through-hole is located closer to the first side in the side-by-side direction than the first screw threaded hole, and the second insertion through-hole is located closer to the first side in the side-by-side direction than the second screw threaded hole.

[0008] With this configuration, the first support column of the first rack unit and the second support column of the second rack unit can be connected side by side using a common connecting support member. Before the item rack is set up, the first rack unit, the connecting support member attached to the first support column of the first rack unit, and the second rack unit can be transported separately, allowing even large item racks to be transported appropriately. By positioning the connecting support member, which is slidably attached to the first support column, in the second position, the amount of protrusion of the connecting support member from the first rack unit can be minimized, thereby reducing the risk of the connecting support member being caught by other objects during transport. Furthermore, when the item rack is set up, only the connecting support member in the second position is slid side by side back to the first position, where the first threaded hole communicates with the first insertion through-hole, and the second threaded hole communicates with the second insertion through-hole. In this position, the first and second rack units can be connected using the connecting support member by simply threading the first bolt into the first threaded hole and the second bolt into the second threaded hole. Furthermore, at this time, the connecting support member is simply slid in the juxtaposition direction, and the height position of the connecting support member remains fixed. Therefore, the connecting support member can be fixed at a height that matches the first and second support members without requiring special height adjustment. Therefore, in an article storage rack that connects two shelf units, the height position of the support member supporting the articles can be easily adjusted.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the technology according to the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 It is a side view showing the entire storage facility according to the embodiment.

[0011] Figure 2 It is a top view of the item storage rack.

[0012] Figure 3 It is an exploded perspective view of the first pillar and the connecting support component.

[0013] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the second pillar and the cover member.

[0014] Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks.

[0015] Figure 6 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks.

[0016] Figure 7 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks.

[0017] Figure 8 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks.

[0018] Figure 9 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks.

[0019] Figure 10 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the order of setting the article storage racks. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiment of the article storage rack will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, as an example, an article storage rack 1 used in a storage facility 100 for storing and storing substrates such as glass substrates used in liquid crystal displays will be described. Figure 1 As shown, the storage facility 100 of this embodiment is installed in a clean room C. The storage facility 100 includes a conveying device 90 and article storage racks 1. In this embodiment, the storage facility 100 includes the conveying device 90 and a pair of article storage racks 1, which are arranged to face each other with the conveying device 90 interposed therebetween.

[0021] In the following description, the left-right direction of the article storage rack 1 as viewed from the transport device 90 is referred to as the "width direction W," and the front-back direction is referred to as the "depth direction D." Furthermore, the height direction of the transport device 90 and the article storage rack 1 is referred to as the "up-down direction H." As will be described in detail later, the article storage rack 1 of this embodiment is constructed by connecting two shelf units (a first shelf unit 10 and a second shelf unit 20) in a side-by-side state in the depth direction D. The depth direction D corresponds to the "side-by-side direction." Furthermore, the side in the depth direction D where the first shelf unit 10 is arranged is referred to as the "first side in the depth direction D1," and the side opposite thereto where the second shelf unit 20 is arranged is referred to as the "second side in the depth direction D2." In this embodiment, the first side in the depth direction D1 corresponds to the "first side in the side-by-side direction," and the second side in the depth direction D2 corresponds to the "second side in the side-by-side direction."

[0022] The transport device 90 is exemplified by a stacker crane and includes a traveling trolley 91, a mast 92, a lifting platform 93, and a transfer device 94. The traveling trolley 91 travels along a travel track 102 provided on a floor portion 101. The mast 92 is mounted upright on the traveling trolley 91. The upper end of the mast 92 is guided by a guide track 104 provided on a ceiling portion 103. The lifting platform 93 moves up and down while being guided by the mast 92. The transfer device 94 is mounted on the lifting platform 93 and transfers articles A between the lifting platform 93 and the article storage rack 1.

[0023] The article A stored in the article storage rack 1 is not particularly limited. For example, a box-like container for storing multiple glass substrates can be used. This container is shaped like a cuboid, capable of storing multiple rectangular glass substrates spaced apart and arranged side by side in the vertical direction H. This container is elongated in the depth direction D, with a length in the depth direction D of, for example, 2 meters or more, or even 3 meters or more. In the following description, such an article A elongated in the depth direction D may sometimes be referred to as an "elongated article A."

[0024] To accommodate long articles A, the article storage rack 1 is also formed to be elongated in the depth direction D. However, when such an article storage rack 1 is transported from a factory to a site by a transport vehicle such as a truck and then installed, there are certain limitations on the dimensions that can be loaded onto the transport vehicle. Therefore, loading the elongated article storage rack 1 in the depth direction D as is often difficult. Therefore, the article storage rack 1 of this embodiment is constructed with two shelf units, a first shelf unit 10 and a second shelf unit 20, which are transported separately and then connected on site.

[0025] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the article storage rack 1 includes, as its main components, a first shelf unit 10, a second shelf unit 20, and a connecting support member 30 connecting them. In this embodiment, the first shelf unit 10 is arranged on the inner side in the depth direction D (an example of the first side D1 in the depth direction), and the second shelf unit 20 is arranged adjacent to the front side (an example of the second side D2 in the depth direction). The two shelf units are connected to each other via the connecting support member 30.

[0026] The first shelf unit 10 includes a first pillar 11, a first beam component 12, and a first support component 14. The first pillar 11 is arranged along the up-down direction H. A plurality of first pillars 11 are provided in a state where they are spaced apart in the front, back, left, and right directions. The first beam component 12 connects two first pillars 11 that are spaced apart in the depth direction D at the same position in the width direction W. In this embodiment, the first support component 14 is mounted on the first pillar 11 to support the article A at a specified height. Here, the "specified height" can be set to only a single height or to multiple heights. When the "specified height" is set to multiple heights, the interval in the up-down direction H is the length of the height of the accommodated article A plus a certain margin.

[0027] Among the multiple (two in this example) first pillars 11 arranged at the same position in the width direction W, the first pillar 11 arranged on the first side D1 (the inner side) in the depth direction has a fan filter unit 17 fixed to it. The fan filter unit 17 performs the function of blowing clean gas. Furthermore, among the multiple (two in this example) first pillars 11 arranged at the same position in the width direction W, the first pillar 11 arranged on the second side D2 (the near side) in the depth direction serves as the "target first pillar 11T" connected to the second shelf unit 20.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, the target first pillar 11T has a first threaded hole 16 that is threadedly engaged with a first bolt 61 for fixing the connecting support component 30. In the present embodiment, the target first pillar 11T has a first groove portion 11R extending along the up-down direction H on each side surface, and a first tapping plate 15 formed with a first threaded hole 16 is provided at a predetermined position of the first groove portion 11R facing the width direction W. In the present example, the first threaded holes 16 are formed in three locations near the upper end portion, the central portion, and the lower end portion of the first tapping plate 15. The first bolt 61 is threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole 16 when inserted through the long hole 35 formed in the connecting support component 30, so that the connecting support component 30 is fixed to the target first pillar 11T. In addition, Figure 3 Also shown is the first buffer member 41 fastened together with the coupling support member 30 by the first bolt 61 when the first rack unit 10 is transported.

[0029] Although not shown in the figure, the first support 11 other than the target first support 11T also has grooves extending in the vertical direction H on each side surface, and tapping plates with threaded holes are provided at predetermined positions of the grooves extending in the width direction W. The first support member 14 (see FIG. 1 ) is secured to the first support member 14 by bolts threadedly engaged with the threaded holes of the tapping plates. Figure 2 ) is fixed to the first support column 11 other than the target first support column 11T.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the second shelf unit 20 includes a second pillar 21, a second beam member 22, and a second support member 24. The second pillars 21 are arranged along the vertical direction H. A plurality of second pillars 21 are provided at intervals in the front, back, left, and right directions. The second beam member 22 connects two second pillars 21 that are spaced apart in the depth direction D and located at the same position in the width direction W. In this embodiment, the second support member 24 is attached to the second pillar 21 to support the article A at a predetermined height. Here, the "predetermined height" is set to the same height as the first support member 14 is attached to the first shelf unit 10.

[0031] Among the plurality of (two in this example) second pillars 21 arranged at the same position in the width direction W, the second pillar 21 arranged on the first side D1 (the back side) in the depth direction becomes the "target second pillar 21T" connected to the first shelf unit 10. In addition, among the plurality of (two in this example) second pillars 21 arranged at the same position in the width direction W, the second pillar 21 arranged on the second side D2 (the front side) in the depth direction is set to be shorter in length in the vertical direction H than the target second pillar 21T and the first pillar 11 of the first shelf unit 10 (see Figure 1 ).

[0032] like Figure 4 As shown, the second pillar 21T of the object is provided with a second threaded hole 26 into which a second bolt 62 for fixing the connecting support member 30 is threadedly engaged. In the present embodiment, the second pillar 21T of the object is provided with a second groove portion 21R extending in the up-down direction H on each side surface, and a second tapping plate 25 having a second threaded hole 26 formed therein is provided at a predetermined position of the second groove portion 21R facing the width direction W. The second bolt 62 is threadedly engaged with the second threaded hole 26 while being inserted through the long hole 35 formed in the connecting support member 30, so that the connecting support member 30 is fixed to the second pillar 21T of the object. Moreover, by fixing the connecting support member 30 to both the first pillar 11T of the object and the second pillar 21T of the object, the first frame unit 10 and the second frame unit 20 are connected via the connecting support member 30 (refer to Figure 10 ). In addition, Figure 4 , the cover member 50 and the second buffer member 42 are also shown, which are fastened together by the second bolts 62 when the second shelf unit 20 is transported.

[0033] Although omitted from the illustration, the second support 21 other than the second support 21T also has grooves extending in the vertical direction H on each side surface, and tapping plates with threaded holes are provided at predetermined positions of the grooves extending in the width direction W. By means of these and bolts threadedly engaged with the threaded holes of the tapping plates, the second support member 24 (see Figure 2 ) is fixed to the second support column 21 other than the target second support column 21T.

[0034] The connecting support member 30 connects the first support column 11T of the first shelf unit 10 and the second support column 21T of the second shelf unit 20 in a state of being adjacent to each other, and supports the article A at a predetermined height. Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, a connecting support member 30 connects the target first support 11T and target second support 21T, which are arranged adjacent in the depth direction D. The connecting support member 30 is installed at the same height (predetermined height) as the height at which the first support member 14 is installed on the first shelf unit 10 and the second support member 24 is installed on the second shelf unit 20. Thus, the connecting support member 30, through the cooperation of the first support member 14 and the second support member 24, supports the end of the article A on one side in the width direction W from below at the predetermined height. Furthermore, through the cooperation of the connecting support member 30 with another set of the first support member 14, the second support member 24, and the connecting support member 30 located on the other side of the article A in the width direction W, the entire article A is supported from below at the predetermined height.

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, the connecting support member 30 includes a connecting member 31 and a supporting member 39. The connecting member 31 and the supporting member 39 are integrally formed by welding or the like. The connecting member 31 is a portion that primarily functions to connect the first frame unit 10 and the second frame unit 20. In this embodiment, it includes a main body 32, an inclined portion 36, and an abutting portion 37. In the illustrated example, the main body 32, the inclined portion 36, and the abutting portion 37 are integrally formed by bending a flat plate at two locations. The main body 32 is located in the center of the connecting support member 30 in the depth direction D, and the inclined portion 36 and the abutting portion 37 are provided separately on either side.

[0036] A first insertion through-hole 33 and a second insertion through-hole 34 are formed in the main body 32. The first bolt 61 can be inserted through the first insertion through-hole 33, and the second bolt 62 can be inserted through the second insertion through-hole 34. In this way, the connecting support member 30 has the first insertion through-hole 33 through which the first bolt 61 can be inserted, and the second insertion through-hole 34 through which the second bolt 62 can be inserted. In this embodiment, the first insertion through-hole 33 and the second insertion through-hole 34 are composed of a series of long holes 35 that are continuous in the depth direction D. In addition, a plurality of (three in this example) long holes 35 are separately formed in three locations near the upper end, the center, and the lower end of the main body 32.

[0037] The length of the long hole 35 is set to correspond to the first groove portion 11R on the first side D1 (rear side) in the depth direction of the first support 11T and the second groove portion 21R on the second side D2 (front side) in the depth direction of the second support 21T (see Figure 4). In the long hole 35 serving as both the first insertion through-hole 33 and the second insertion through-hole 34, a portion closer to the first side D1 in the depth direction (the inner side) than the center in the depth direction D functions as the first insertion through-hole 33, and a portion closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction (the front side) than the center in the depth direction D functions as the second insertion through-hole 34.

[0038] The connecting support member 30 is mounted to the target first support column 11T so as to be slidable in the depth direction D between a first position P1 and a second position P2. Here, the first position P1 is a position in which the following state is achieved (see Figure 8 ): The first threaded hole 16 is connected to the portion of the long hole 35 that functions as the first insertion through hole 33 (the portion closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction than the center), and the second threaded hole 26 is connected to the portion of the long hole 35 that functions as the second insertion through hole 34 (the portion closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction than the center). In addition, the second position P2 is a position in which the following state is achieved (see Figure 7 etc.): The portion of the long hole 35 that functions as the first insertion through hole 33 (the portion that is closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction than the center) is located closer to the first side D1 in the depth direction than the first threaded hole 16, and the portion of the long hole 35 that functions as the second insertion through hole 34 (the portion that is closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction than the center) is located closer to the first side D1 in the depth direction than the second threaded hole 26.

[0039] In this embodiment, the coupling support member 30 is slidable within the length of the elongated hole 35 when the first bolt 61, which is threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole 16, is inserted through the elongated hole 35 and the second bolt 62 is not threadedly engaged with the second threaded hole 26. In this configuration, the second position P2 is also a position where the first threaded hole 16 communicates with the portion of the elongated hole 35 that functions as the second insertion through-hole 34 (a portion located closer to the second side D2 in the depth direction than the center in the depth direction D).

[0040] The connecting support member 30 is mounted on the corresponding first support column 11T of the first shelf unit 10 in a state of being located at the second position P2 at the stage of shipment from the factory (see Figure 5 In this embodiment, the first buffer member 41 is provided to overlap with the coupling support member 30 at this stage, and the coupling support member 30 and the first buffer member 41 are fastened together by the first bolt 61 .

[0041] When assembling the article storage rack 1 at the installation site, the connecting support member 30 slides to the first position P1, spanning the first support column 11T of the first rack unit 10 and the second support column 21T of the second rack unit 20 (refer to Figures 8 to 10 ).

[0042] The inclined portion 36 is provided at the end of the second side D2 in the depth direction of the coupling support member 30. The inclined portion 36 is formed to extend and incline from the main body 32 toward the side opposite to the target first pillar 11T and the target second pillar 21T. In other words, the inclined portion 36 is formed to be inclined so as to move away from the target second pillar 21T as it approaches the second side D2 in the depth direction. The angle formed by the main body 32 and the inclined portion 36 is preferably any angle within the range of, for example, 105° to 150°, and more preferably approximately 120°±5°. The inclined portion 36 functions as a guide portion to guide the target second pillar 21T to a position adjacent to the target first pillar 11T when the target second pillar 21T is moved toward the target first pillar 11T to which the coupling support member 30 is attached.

[0043] The abutment portion 37 is provided at the end of the coupling support member 30 on the first side D1 in the depth direction. The abutment portion 37 is formed so as to curve and extend from the main body 32 toward the target first pillar 11T side, which is opposite the inclined portion. The abutment portion 37 is curved to be approximately perpendicular to the main body 32. When the coupling support member 30 is in the first position P1, the abutment portion 37 abuts the entire side surface of the target first pillar 11T facing the first side D1 in the depth direction. The abutment portion 37 functions as a stopper during the sliding movement of the coupling support member 30. Furthermore, the abutment portion 37 functions as a reinforcement portion that receives moment loads applied to the coupling support member 30 when supporting the article A while abutting against the target first pillar 11T.

[0044] The support member 39 includes a connecting portion 39A and a placing portion 39B. The connecting portion 39A is fixed to the surface of the main body 32 of the coupling member 31 on the side opposite to the first supporting column 11T and the second supporting column 21T, protruding in the width direction W. The placing portion 39B is fixed to the upper surface of the distal end of the connecting portion 39A. The placing portion 39B is the portion on which the article A is directly placed. At least the surface is formed of a resin material such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHPE), polyetherketone (PEEK), polyacetal (POM), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyimide (PI), or ABS.

[0045] The article storage rack 1 of this embodiment includes a cover member 50 in addition to the first rack unit 10, the second rack unit 20 and the connecting support member 30. Figure 4 As shown, the cover member 50 is mainly composed of a main body 51 formed in an elongated rectangular plate shape, and a hole 52 and a cutout 53 are formed in the main body 51. In this example, two holes 52 and two cutouts 53 are formed in a row in the main body 51.

[0046] The cover member 50 is mounted on the second support column 21T (see FIG. 21) of the second shelf unit 20 at the stage of shipment from the factory. Figure 4 and Figure 5 With the second bolt 62 inserted through the hole 52, the cover member 50 is screwed into the second threaded hole 26 of the second support column 21T, thereby being attached to the second support column 21T. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second cushioning member 42 and the cover member 50 are arranged so as to overlap at this stage, and the cover member 50 and the second cushioning member 42 are fastened together by the second bolt 62.

[0047] When the article storage rack 1 is assembled at the installation site, the cover member 50 is mounted across the first support column 11T of the first shelf unit 10 and the second support column 21T of the second shelf unit 20 (see FIG. Figure 9 and Figure 10 At this time, the cover member 50 overlaps with the coupling support member 30 and is fastened together by the first bolt 61 and the second bolt 62 while covering the long hole 35 formed in the coupling support member 30 .

[0048] The following describes the on-site assembly procedure of the article storage rack 1 of this embodiment, focusing on the first support column 11T of the first shelf unit 10 and the second support column 21T of the second shelf unit 20 and their surrounding components.

[0049] The first shelf unit 10 and the second shelf unit 20 constituting the article storage rack 1 are as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the connecting support member 30 is transported in a separated state. At this time, the connecting support member 30, while in the second position P2, is attached to the corresponding first support column 11T of the first rack unit 10 using the first bolt 61 via the first buffer member 41. When the connecting support member 30 is in the second position P2, the amount of protrusion of the connecting support member 30 from the first rack unit 10 toward the second side D2 in the depth direction is minimized, thereby minimizing problems such as entrapment by other objects during transport. Furthermore, the cover member 50 is attached to the corresponding second support column 21T of the second rack unit 20 using the second bolt 62 via the second buffer member 42. The cover member 50 is attached close to the second side D2 in the depth direction to minimize its protrusion from the second rack unit 20 toward the first side D1 in the depth direction.

[0050] In this embodiment, since the first shelf unit 10 is arranged on the inner side of the second shelf unit 20 in the depth direction D, the first shelf unit 10 is first set at a predetermined position. In addition, the second shelf unit 20 is temporarily placed at a predetermined distance from the first shelf unit 10 in the depth direction D. In this state, Figure 6As shown, remove the second bolt 62 from the target second support column 21T, and remove the cover member 50 and second cushioning member 42. Also, loosen (but do not remove) the first bolt 61 attached to the target first support column 11T, and remove the first cushioning member 41. Of the removed parts, the second bolt 62 and cover member 50 will be used later, so leave them as they are. The first cushioning member 41 and the second cushioning member 42 can be discarded.

[0051] Next, the second rack unit 20 is moved closer to the first rack unit 10. Figure 7 As shown, the target first pillar 11T and the target second pillar 21T are adjacent to each other in the depth direction D. In this case, even if the target first pillar 11T and the target second pillar 21T are slightly offset in the width direction W (particularly, the target second pillar 21T is offset toward the coupling support member 30 relative to the target first pillar 11T), the inclined portion 36 provided on the coupling support member 30 functions as a guide portion, and the target second pillar 21T and the target first pillar 11T are adjacent to each other while being aligned at the same position in the width direction W.

[0052] Then, if Figure 8 As shown, the connecting support member 30, previously located at the second position P2, is slid toward the second side D2 in the depth direction. This sliding movement continues until the abutment portion 37 provided on the connecting support member 30 abuts the side surface of the target first support post 11T on the first side D1 in the depth direction. Once the abutment portion 37 abuts the side surface of the target first support post 11T, the connecting support member 30 is positioned at the first position P1. When the connecting support member 30 is in the first position P1, the elongated hole 35 formed in the connecting support member 30 communicates with both the first threaded hole 16 of the target first support post 11T and the second threaded hole 26 of the target second support post 21T.

[0053] Next, the cover member 50 is mounted with respect to the target first support 11T, the target second support 21T and the coupling support member 30 in the temporarily assembled state. Figure 9 As shown, the first bolt 61, which is only loosened but not removed, is inserted from above into the notch 53, and the cover member 50 is installed. As a result, most of the elongated hole 35 is obscured by the cover member 50. Furthermore, the hole 52 formed in the cover member 50 communicates with the second threaded hole 26 of the second support column 21T via the elongated hole 35.

[0054] Finally, if Figure 10As shown, the second bolt 62 is inserted through the hole 52 of the cover member 50 and the elongated hole 35 of the coupling support member 30, threadedly engaged with the second threaded hole 26 of the second support 21T, and tightened. Furthermore, the first bolt 61 is tightened. Thus, in this location, with the elongated hole 35 hidden, the first support 11T and the second support 21T are coupled via the coupling support member 30. By performing the above operations at multiple locations in the vertical direction H and the width direction W, the first shelf unit 10 and the second shelf unit 20 are securely coupled as a whole, completing the article storage rack 1.

[0055] Thus, in the article storage rack 1 of this embodiment, since the article storage rack 1 is constructed by connecting the first shelf unit 10 and the second shelf unit 20, the two shelf units 10 and 20 can be transported separately and easily. Furthermore, at the installation site, since the first shelf unit 10 and the second shelf unit 20 are connected using a connecting support member 30 that slides freely in the depth direction D, assembly can be easily performed using a small number of parts. Since the height position of the connecting support member 30 is maintained at a predetermined height by the first bolt 61 when the connecting support member 30 is slid in the parallel direction, the connecting support member 30 can be fixed at a height that matches the first support member 14 and the second support member 24 without requiring special height adjustment.

[0056] [Other embodiments]

[0057] (1) In the above-described embodiment, the following configuration is used as an example: the first insertion through-hole 33 and the second insertion through-hole 34 formed in the connection support member 30 are composed of a series of elongated holes 35 that are continuous in the depth direction D. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the first insertion through-hole 33 and the second insertion through-hole 34 may be formed as mutually independent hole portions. In this case, the first insertion through-hole 33 may be formed as an elongated hole having a length corresponding to the interval between the two first groove portions 11R so that the two first bolts 61 can be inserted through it together; or it may be formed as a plurality of mutually independent hole portions so that each first bolt 61 can be inserted through it individually. The same applies to the second insertion through-hole 34. In this way, when the first insertion through-hole 33 and the second insertion through-hole 34 are mutually independent hole portions, it is preferable to separately provide a sliding guide portion for guiding the sliding movement of the connection support member 30 along the depth direction D.

[0058] (2) In the above embodiment, the inclined portion 36 is formed over the entire area of ​​the coupling support member 30 in the vertical direction H. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the inclined portion 36 may be formed separately at multiple locations in the vertical direction H, such as near the upper end, near the middle, and near the lower end of the coupling support member 30. Alternatively, the inclined portion 36 may be formed only at one location in the vertical direction H, such as near the middle of the coupling support member 30. Alternatively, the inclined portion 36 may not be provided on the coupling support member 30.

[0059] (3) In the above embodiment, the abutment portion 37 is formed over the entire region of the coupling support member 30 in the vertical direction H. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the abutment portion 37 may be formed separately at multiple locations in the vertical direction H, such as near the upper end, near the middle, and near the lower end of the coupling support member 30. Alternatively, the abutment portion 37 may be formed only at one location in the vertical direction H, such as near the middle of the coupling support member 30. Alternatively, the coupling support member 30 may not be provided with the abutment portion 37.

[0060] (4) In the above embodiment, the cover member 50 is installed to cover the elongated hole 35 of the connecting support member 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, if the article storage rack 1 is used to store articles A in which the mixing of dust and the like is not a problem, the cover member 50 may not be installed.

[0061] (5) In the above embodiment, the first support member 14 is attached to the first pillar 11, and the second support member 24 is attached to the second pillar 21. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the first support member 14 may be attached to the first beam member 12, and the second support member 24 may be attached to the second beam member 22.

[0062] (6) In the above embodiment, the following configuration is described as an example: the first tapping plate 15 having the first threaded hole 16 is inserted through the first groove 11R of the target first support 11T, thereby providing the first threaded hole 16 in the target first support 11T. Similarly, the following configuration is described as an example: the second tapping plate 25 having the second threaded hole 26 is inserted through the second groove 21R of the target second support 21T, thereby providing the second threaded hole 26 in the target second support 21T. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration; for example, the first threaded hole 16 may be directly formed in the target first support 11T, and the second threaded hole 26 may be directly formed in the target second support 21T.

[0063] (7) In the above embodiment, the first shelf unit 10 is arranged on the inner side in the depth direction D, and the second shelf unit 20 is arranged adjacent to the front side thereof. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The second shelf unit 20 may be arranged on the inner side in the depth direction D, and the first shelf unit 10 may be arranged adjacent to the front side thereof. In this case, the front side in the depth direction D becomes the first depth direction side D1, and the inner side becomes the second depth direction side D2.

[0064] (8) In the above embodiment, the article A contained in the article storage rack 1 is described as a box-shaped container containing a plurality of glass substrates. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The article A may also be a front-opening box-shaped container, for example, for storing semiconductor substrates, photomask substrates, etc. Furthermore, the article A is not limited to various containers and may also be, for example, a pallet loaded with goods.

[0065] (9) In the above embodiment, the article storage rack 1 is described as an example in which it is used in a storage facility 100 (automatic warehouse) equipped with a transport device 90. However, the article storage rack 1 is not limited to such a configuration, and can also be used in a general warehouse where articles A are transferred using a forklift or the like.

[0066] (10) The configurations disclosed in each of the above-mentioned embodiments (including the above-mentioned embodiments and other embodiments, and the same applies hereinafter) can also be combined and applied with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction arises. With respect to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] [Overview of Embodiments]

[0068] To summarize the above, the article storage rack according to the present disclosure preferably includes the following structures.

[0069] 18. The article storage rack for storing articles, comprising: a first rack unit comprising a plurality of first pillars, a first beam component connecting the first pillars to each other, and a first support component for supporting the article at a specified height, the first support component being mounted on the first pillar or the first beam component; a second rack unit comprising a plurality of second pillars, a second beam component connecting the second pillars to each other, and a second support component for supporting the article at the specified height, the second support component being mounted on the second pillar or the second beam component; and a connecting support component, with one of the plurality of first pillars being the target first pillar and one of the plurality of second pillars being the target second pillar, connecting the target first pillar and the target second pillar in a mutually adjacent state and supporting the article at the specified height; the target first pillar having a first threaded hole threadedly engaged with a first bolt for fixing the connecting support component, and the target second pillar having a second screw for fixing the connecting support component. and a second screw threaded hole in which the bolt is threadably engaged, with the first and second pillars being arranged side by side in a horizontal direction as the side-by-side direction, and the side on which the first pillar is arranged relative to the second pillar in the side-by-side direction as the first side in the side-by-side direction; the connecting support member has a first insertion through-hole through which the first bolt can be inserted and a second insertion through-hole through which the second bolt can be inserted, and is slidably mounted in the side-by-side direction between a first position and a second position relative to the first pillar; when the connecting support member is in the first position, the first screw threaded hole is connected to the first insertion through-hole, and the second screw threaded hole is connected to the second insertion through-hole; when the connecting support member is in the second position, the first insertion through-hole is located closer to the first side in the side-by-side direction than the first screw threaded hole, and the second insertion through-hole is located closer to the first side in the side-by-side direction than the second screw threaded hole.

[0070] With this configuration, the first support column of the first rack unit and the second support column of the second rack unit can be connected side by side using a common connecting support member. Before the item rack is set up, the first rack unit, the connecting support member attached to the first support column of the first rack unit, and the second rack unit can be transported separately, allowing even large item racks to be transported appropriately. By positioning the connecting support member, which is slidably attached to the first support column, in the second position, the amount of protrusion of the connecting support member from the first rack unit can be minimized, thereby reducing the risk of the connecting support member being caught by other objects during transport. Furthermore, when the item rack is set up, only the connecting support member in the second position is slid side by side back to the first position, where the first threaded hole communicates with the first insertion through-hole, and the second threaded hole communicates with the second insertion through-hole. In this position, the first and second rack units can be connected using the connecting support member by simply threading the first bolt into the first threaded hole and the second bolt into the second threaded hole. Furthermore, at this time, the connecting support member is simply slid in the juxtaposition direction, and the height position of the connecting support member remains fixed. Therefore, the connecting support member can be fixed at a height that matches the first and second support members without requiring special height adjustment. Therefore, in an article storage rack that connects two shelf units, the height position of the support member supporting the articles can be easily adjusted.

[0071] As a form, preferably, the first insertion through hole and the second insertion through hole are composed of a series of long holes continuous in the parallel direction, and when the first bolt threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole is inserted through the long hole and the second bolt is not threadedly engaged with the second threaded hole, the connecting support component can slide freely within the length of the long hole.

[0072] This configuration allows for a structure in which the connecting support member can be mounted slidably between a first position and a second position in a parallel direction relative to the corresponding first support pillar using the first bolt used to secure the connecting support member. This simplifies the structure compared to a case in which a separate sliding guide for the connecting support member is provided. Furthermore, since the connecting support member can slide while the first bolt is threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole, installation of the item storage rack can be performed without removing the first bolt. This improves ease of installation of the item storage rack.

[0073] In one embodiment, it is preferable that a cover member overlapping the connection support member and covering the long hole is fastened together by the first bolt and the second bolt.

[0074] According to this configuration, the cover member shields the long hole, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust from accumulating around the long hole or entering the inside.

[0075] As one form, it is preferred that the side opposite to the first side in the parallel direction in the parallel direction is the second side in the parallel direction, and the end of the second side in the parallel direction on the connecting support component is inclined to the side away from the second pillar of the object as it moves toward the second side in the parallel direction.

[0076] According to this configuration, when coupling the first and second rack units, the inclined surface at the end portion of the coupling support member on the second side in the juxtaposition direction guides the second support column's movement toward the first support column. This facilitates the alignment of the second support column with the first support column, simplifying the coupling operation.

[0077] In one embodiment, it is preferable that an end portion of the coupling support member on the first side in the parallel direction is formed with an abutment portion that abuts against a side surface of the counterpart first pillar facing the first side in the parallel direction.

[0078] With this configuration, when the first and second frame units are connected, the abutment portion at the end of the connecting support member on the first side in the juxtaposition direction can function as a stopper, thereby appropriately positioning the connecting support member in the juxtaposition direction. Furthermore, when the abutment portion abuts against the side surface of the mating first support column facing the first side in the juxtaposition direction, a portion of the load applied to the connecting support member can be absorbed by the abutment portion, thereby facilitating the maintenance of the strength of the supporting member.

[0079] The article storage rack according to the present invention only needs to be able to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects.

[0080] Explanation of symbols

[0081] 1 item storage rack

[0082] 10 First Unit

[0083] 11. First Pillar

[0084] 11T Object First Pillar

[0085] 12 First beam component

[0086] 14 first supporting member

[0087] 16 First threaded hole

[0088] 20 Second unit

[0089] 21 Second Pillar

[0090] 21T target second pillar

[0091] 22 Second beam component

[0092] 24 second supporting member

[0093] 26 Second threaded hole

[0094] 30 Connecting support components

[0095] 33 First insertion through hole

[0096] 34 Second insertion through hole

[0097] 35 Long hole

[0098] 36 inclined portion

[0099] 37 abutment

[0100] 50 cover parts

[0101] 61 First Bolt

[0102] 62 Second bolt

[0103] A Item

[0104] D Depth direction (side by side)

[0105] D1 First side in depth direction (first side in parallel direction)

[0106] D2 Second side in depth direction (second side in parallel direction)

[0107] P1 First position

[0108] P2 Second position.

Claims

1. An article storage rack for storing articles, comprising: a first shelf unit comprising a plurality of first pillars, a first beam member connecting the first pillars to each other, and a first support member for supporting the article at a predetermined height, the first support member being mounted on the first pillars or the first beam member; a second shelf unit comprising a plurality of second pillars, a second beam member connecting the second pillars to each other, and a second support member for supporting the article at the predetermined height, the second support member being mounted on the second pillars or the second beam member; a connecting support member, using one of the plurality of first pillars as a target first pillar and one of the plurality of second pillars as a target second pillar, connecting the target first pillar and the target second pillar in a mutually adjacent state, and supporting the object at the specified height; Its characteristics are: The first supporting column of the object has a first threaded hole into which a first bolt for fixing the connecting support member is threadedly engaged; The second support column has a second threaded hole into which a second bolt for fixing the connection support member is threadedly engaged; The direction in which the first pillar and the second pillar are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction is referred to as a side-by-side direction, and the side in which the first pillar is arranged relative to the second pillar in the side-by-side direction is referred to as a first side in the side-by-side direction; The connecting support member has a first insertion through-hole through which the first bolt can be inserted and a second insertion through-hole through which the second bolt can be inserted, and is slidably mounted relative to the first support column between a first position and a second position in the parallel direction. When the coupling support member is in the first position, the first threaded hole is in communication with the first insertion through-hole, and the second threaded hole is in communication with the second insertion through-hole. When the coupling support member is in the second position, the first insertion through-hole is located further in the first juxtaposition direction than the first screw hole, and the second insertion through-hole is located further in the first juxtaposition direction than the second screw hole.

2. The article storage rack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first insertion through hole and the second insertion through hole are formed by a long hole that is continuous in the parallel direction. When the first bolt threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole is inserted through the long hole and the second bolt is not threadedly engaged with the second threaded hole, the coupling support member is slidable within the length of the long hole.

3. The article storage rack according to claim 2, characterized in that: A cover member overlapping the coupling support member to cover the long hole is fastened together by the first bolt and the second bolt.

4. The article storage rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The side opposite to the first side in the parallel direction is the second side in the parallel direction, The end portion of the coupling support member on the second side in the parallel direction is formed to be inclined so as to be directed away from the second target support column as it goes toward the second side in the parallel direction.

5. The article storage rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: An abutment portion is formed at an end portion of the coupling support member on the first side in the parallel direction, the abutment portion abutting against a side surface of the counterpart first pillar facing the first side in the parallel direction.

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