building

Abstract

The present invention provides a building. In the building, a staircase space is formed that spans a first floor and a second floor and is provided with stairs. A part of the staircase space becomes a non-installation space that is not provided with stairs, and the non-installation space is used to form a lifting space for a transport robot to lift between the first floor and the second floor. In the second floor, the lifting space and the staircase hall are adjacent to each other through a waist wall. An opening is formed on the waist wall for the transport robot to move between the lifting space and the staircase hall.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a building. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in buildings such as residences, there are self-propelled robots that are used to drive themselves on the floor. For example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-262261, a building that enables such a self-propelled robot to move between the floor of the lower layer and the floor of the upper layer is disclosed. In this building, a ceiling space spanning the upper and lower layers is formed, and a pole extending across the lower layer and the upper layer is provided in the ceiling space. Moreover, the robot drives itself along the pole, so that the robot can move between the lower layer and the upper layer. Summary of the invention

[0003] However, in the building of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-262261, a ceiling space for lifting the robot between upper and lower floors needs to be specially provided in the building, which may restrict the planning in the building.

[0004] The present invention provides a building capable of moving a traveling body to upper and lower floors while suppressing the occurrence of restrictions on the layout inside the building.

[0005] A building according to one embodiment of the present invention is a building having a lower portion and an upper portion adjacent to each other in an upper and lower direction, and having a traveling body that travels on each floor of the lower portion and the upper portion and performs specific operations. The building has a stair space, the stair space is formed so as to span the lower portion and the upper portion, and is provided with stairs that connect the lower portion and the upper portion. A lifting space for the traveling body to be lifted and lowered between the lower portion and the upper portion is formed by utilizing a non-installation space in the stair space where the stairs are not installed, and an upper adjacent space is provided in the upper portion that is adjacent to the lifting space via a partition wall, and an opening is formed on the partition wall for the traveling body to move between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space.

[0006] According to the above-mentioned method, a staircase space spanning the upper and lower floors is formed in the building, and a non-installed space in the staircase space where stairs are not installed is used to form a lifting space for the traveling body. In this case, the traveling body can be lifted and lowered between the lower and upper floors through the lifting space. In addition, in the upper floor, an opening is formed on the partition wall between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space, and the traveling body can pass through the opening to move between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space. Therefore, in this building, the staircase space in the building can be used to move the traveling body between the floors of the upper and lower floors. As a result, there is no need to separately set up a dedicated lifting space (ceiling space) in the building for lifting the traveling body between the upper and lower floors. As a result, the traveling body can be moved between the upper and lower floors while suppressing the situation that restricts the planning in the building.

[0007] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the traveling body can be raised and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer in the lifting space by a lifting unit. The building can also be provided with a moving mechanism, the moving structure has a supporting unit capable of supporting and releasing the traveling body at the upper layer in the lifting space, and the moving structure operates the supporting unit while supporting the traveling body, thereby allowing the traveling body to move between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space through the opening.

[0008] According to the above-mentioned method, when the traveling body moves from the floor of the lower part to the floor of the upper part, the traveling body rises from the lower part to the upper part through the lifting unit in the lifting space. In addition, the traveling body is supported by the supporting unit of the moving mechanism at the upper part, and moves from the lifting space to the upper adjacent space through the opening in this supported state. In addition, when the traveling body moves from the floor of the upper part to the floor of the lower part, the traveling body moves from the upper adjacent space to the lifting space through the opening in a state supported by the supporting unit. In addition, the traveling body descends from the upper part to the lower part through the lifting unit in the lifting space. When the traveling body descends, it descends after the support of the traveling body implemented by the supporting unit is released.

[0009] In this way, according to the above-mentioned method, the traveling body can be specifically moved between the floors of the upper and lower layers using the lifting unit and the moving mechanism. For example, although it is also considered that a moving mechanism is provided in the building to move the traveling body between the floors of the upper and lower layers (specifically, between the floor of the lower layer in the lifting space and the floor of the upper adjacent space), if so, it can be considered that the structure of the moving mechanism will become significantly complicated. In this regard, in the above-mentioned structure in which the traveling body is lifted and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer in the lifting space by the lifting unit and is moved between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space by the moving mechanism in the upper layer, it is possible to move the traveling body between the floors of the upper and lower layers while suppressing the structure of the moving mechanism from becoming complicated.

[0010] In addition, the lifting unit may be provided by the traveling body itself as in the structure described later, or may be provided on the side of the building. As the lifting unit provided on the side of the building, for example, a rod-shaped body such as a pole extending up and down in a manner spanning the lower layer and the upper layer in the lifting space may be cited. In this case, it can be considered that, similar to the technology of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-262261 mentioned above, the traveling body is provided so as to be able to self-travel along the rod-shaped body, and thereby the traveling body can be lifted and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer.

[0011] In the above aspect, the traveling body may include the lifting unit, the lifting unit may be configured to be telescopic in the up-down direction, and may be lifted and lowered between the lower portion and the upper portion by the telescopic movement.

[0012] According to the above method, when the traveling body moves from the floor of the lower layer to the floor of the upper layer, the traveling body is extended from the lower layer to the upper layer in the lifting space, and the traveling body is supported by the support unit at the upper layer in the extended state. Then, the traveling body is retracted in the supported state, so that the traveling body is raised from the lower layer to the upper layer. Thereafter, in the supported state realized by the support unit, the traveling body is moved from the lifting space to the upper adjacent space.

[0013] Furthermore, when the traveling body moves from the floor of the upper layer to the floor of the lower layer, the traveling body is moved from the upper adjacent space to the lifting space while being supported by the support unit, and then extends from the upper layer to the lower layer in the lifting space. At this time, the traveling body extends until it reaches the floor of the lifting space (lower layer) and is placed on the floor. Then, in this placed state, the support of the traveling body by the support unit is released, and after the release, the traveling body is retracted so that the traveling body descends from the upper layer to the lower layer.

[0014] In this way, in the above-mentioned method, the traveling body is extended and retracted by itself, so that the traveling body is raised and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer. Therefore, there is no need to install a lifting unit on the building side, and the structure on the building side can be simplified. In addition, since there is no need to install a lifting unit in the lifting space, there will be no unfavorable situation that the lifting unit gets in the way when the residents pass through the lifting space (or even the staircase space).

[0015] In the above aspect, a protruding portion that protrudes toward the lifting space side more than the partition wall is provided above the opening, and the moving mechanism is mounted on a lower surface of the protruding portion.

[0016] According to the above aspect, the moving mechanism can be mounted on the lower surface of the extension portion extending toward the lifting space side. Thus, the moving mechanism can be mounted in a stable state by the extension portion, and the moving mechanism can be made inconspicuous by the extension portion.

[0017] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the traveling body may have a pair of protrusions that protrude toward the sides and to the opposite sides. The moving mechanism may have a pair of movable arms that are hooked on the protrusions of the traveling body as the supporting unit to support the traveling body. The arms may approach each other to be in a supporting state in which they are hooked on the protrusions and support the traveling body, and move away from each other to be in a support release state in which the hooks on the protrusions are released.

[0018] According to the above-mentioned method, the traveling body is supported by hooking the pair of arms on the protruding parts of the traveling body. In this case, since the traveling body can be supported from both sides by the pair of arms, the traveling body can be supported in a stable state. In addition, in the structure in which the traveling body is hooked and supported by the pair of arms, the traveling body can be supported even if the position of the traveling body is somewhat deviated, compared with the structure in which the traveling body is clamped and supported by the pair of arms. Therefore, the traveling body can be reliably supported in a stable state.

[0019] In the above-mentioned manner, the following manner may be adopted, namely, the traveling body is a transport robot for transporting articles. The following manner may be adopted, namely, the transport robot has a main body for traveling on a floor, a loading portion which is arranged above the main body and carries articles, and a column connecting the main body and the loading portion. The following manner may be adopted, namely, the column is constructed to be telescopic in the up-down direction. The following manner may be adopted, namely, the transport robot has the lifting unit, and the lifting unit is lifted and lowered between the lower part and the upper part by the extension and contraction of the column. The following manner may be adopted, namely, the loading portion protrudes to both sides of the column, and each of these protruding portions is the protruding portion hooked by the arm.

[0020] In the above-mentioned method, the traveling body is configured as a transport robot for transporting articles. The transport robot is configured such that a main body that travels on the floor and a loading part that loads articles are connected by a telescopic column, and the column can be extended and retracted so as to be able to rise and fall between a lower part and an upper part. Thus, in the transport robot, the same effect as in the above-mentioned method can be achieved. In addition, the loading part protrudes to both sides of the column, and each of these protruding parts becomes a protruding part supported by the arm hook. In this case, not only can the loading part load articles, but the loading part can also be used as a hook part of the arm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols represent like elements, and in which:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the outline of a building.

[0023] Figure 2A It is a perspective view showing the transfer robot, and shows a normal state in which the column portion of the transfer robot is retracted.

[0024] Figure 2B It is a perspective view showing the transfer robot, and shows an extended state in which the column portion is extended.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the storage section and its surroundings as viewed from the stair space.

[0026] Figure 4A It is a perspective view when observing the surroundings of the storage section from the staircase hall, and shows a state in which the opening and closing body is closed.

[0027] Figure 4BIt is a perspective view when observing the surroundings of the storage section from the staircase hall, and shows a state in which the opening and closing body is opened.

[0028] Figure 5A It is a perspective view showing the moving mechanism, and shows a situation where the arm of the moving mechanism is in a first position.

[0029] Figure 5B It is a perspective view showing the moving mechanism, and shows the arm in the second position.

[0030] Figure 5C It is a perspective view showing the moving mechanism, and shows the arm in the third position.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the electrical configuration of a control system for implementing movement control of the arm.

[0032] Figure 7 Flowchart showing the arm control process.

[0033] Fig. 8A This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0034] Figure 8B This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0035] Figure 8C This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0036] Fig.8D This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0037] Fig. 8E This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0038] Fig.8F This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0039] Figure 8G This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0040] Figure 8H This is a diagram for explaining how the transfer robot is moved between the lift space and the staircase hall by the arm.

[0041] Fig. 9A1 is a perspective view showing another example of the moving mechanism, and shows a case where the arm of the moving mechanism is in the first position.

[0042] Fig. 9B It is a perspective view showing another example of the moving mechanism, and shows a case where the arm is in the second position.

[0043] Fig. 9C It is a perspective view showing another example of the moving mechanism, and shows a case where the arm is in the third position.

[0044] Fig.10 It is a perspective view showing the extended state of the transfer robot in a staircase space provided with a spiral staircase. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an outline of a building in this embodiment.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, a building 10 such as a residence is a two-story building having a first floor portion 11 as a lower floor portion and a second floor portion 12 as an upper floor portion. A roof portion 13 is provided above the second floor portion 12, and the roof portion 13 is, for example, a gable roof type.

[0047] In the building 10, a staircase space 15 is formed across the first floor 11 and the second floor 12. The staircase space 15 is set as a ceiling space from the first floor 11 to the second floor 12, and its floor surface is formed by the floor part 17 of the first floor 11, and its ceiling surface is formed by the ceiling part of the second floor 12. In the staircase space 15, a staircase 16 consisting of a spiral staircase is provided. Through the staircase 16, it is possible to travel between the first floor 11 and the second floor 12. In addition, the lower part and the upper part of the staircase 16 are separated by an inclined waist wall 19.

[0048] In the first floor portion 11, a corridor 21 is provided in a manner continuous with the staircase space 15. Although not shown in the figure, a living room space (first floor living room) such as a living room or a dining room is provided in the first floor portion 11, and the living room space is communicated with the corridor 21. In addition, the floor portion 17 of the first floor portion 11 (hereinafter also referred to as the first floor portion 17) has a floor surface with the same height throughout the entire area of ​​the floor portion 17.

[0049] In the second floor portion 12, a staircase hall 23 is provided in a manner continuous with the staircase space 15. Although not shown in the figure, a living room space such as a bedroom (second floor living room) is provided in the second floor portion 12, and the living room space is connected to the staircase hall 23. In addition, the floor portion 18 of the second floor portion 12 (hereinafter also referred to as the second floor floor portion 18) has a floor surface with the same height throughout the entire area of ​​the floor portion 18.

[0050] In the building 10, a transport robot 30 is provided for moving on the floor portions 17 and 18 and transporting articles. Figure 2A as well as Figure 2B The structure of the transfer robot 30 will be described. Figure 2A as well as Figure 2B is a perspective view showing the transfer robot 30, and Figure 2A FIG. 2 shows a normal state in which the column 35 of the transfer robot 30 is retracted. Figure 2B The column 35 is shown in an extended state. The transfer robot 30 corresponds to a "traveling body" that performs a transfer operation as a specific operation.

[0051] like Figure 2A as well as Figure 2B As shown in the figure, the transport robot 30 includes a main body 31 that travels on the floor parts 17 and 18, a loading part 32 that is provided above the main body 31 and on which articles are loaded, and a column part 35 that connects the main body 31 and the loading part 32 up and down. The main body 31 is formed in a flat circular shape, and a plurality of wheels 33 are mounted on the lower part thereof. In addition, a travel drive unit 34 such as a motor that serves as a driving source during travel is built into the main body 31. The wheels 33 are rotated by the driving of the travel drive unit 34, so that the main body 31 and the transport robot 30 travel on the floor parts 17 and 18.

[0052] The loading portion 32 is formed in a circular disk shape, and its outer diameter is set to be substantially the same size as the outer diameter of the main body 31. The transport robot 30 can transport articles in the building 10 by self-driving (autonomous operation) on the floor portions 17 and 18 with the main body 31 placing articles on the loading portion 32. The loading portion 32 does not necessarily have to be disk-shaped, but may be plate-shaped or box-shaped, and any shape is acceptable as long as it can carry articles.

[0053] The column 35 is formed into a cylindrical shape extending vertically across the main body 31 and the mounting portion 32, thereby connecting the central portion of the main body 31 and the central portion of the mounting portion 32. In this case, the portion of the mounting portion 32 that protrudes laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the column 35 is a flange portion 32a.

[0054] The column 35 is constructed so as to be able to extend and retract in the up and down directions. For example, the column 35 is constructed in a manner having a plurality of cylindrical portions with different diameters, and is contracted by one of the adjacent cylindrical portions being accommodated in the interior of the other, and is extended by one of the adjacent cylindrical portions being pulled out from the interior of the other. As described later, the transport robot 30 is able to be lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 by extending and retracting the column 35 in the stair space 15 (more specifically, the lifting space 41). In other words, the transport robot 30 has a lifting unit that can be lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12.

[0055] The transfer robot 30 can be in a normal state ( Figure 2A The state shown) and the extended state ( Figure 2B When the transport robot 30 travels on the floor portions 17 and 18, it travels in a normal state. In addition, in the extended state, the height dimension of the transport robot 30 is set to be larger than the upper and lower distance from the floor surface of the first floor portion 17 to the floor surface of the second floor portion 18. Therefore, in a state where the transport robot 30 is arranged on the first floor portion 17 in the stair space 15, when the transport robot 30 is set to the extended state, at least the loading portion 32 will be located at a position higher than the floor surface of the second floor portion 18.

[0056] The transport robot 30 is provided with a telescopic drive unit 37 such as a motor that is a driving source for extending and retracting the column 35. The telescopic drive unit 37 is, for example, built into the main body 31. The column 35 and thus the transport robot 30 are extended and retracted vertically by driving the telescopic drive unit 37.

[0057] The transport robot 30 is provided with a robot control unit 40 that drives and controls the travel drive unit 34 and the telescopic drive unit 37. The robot control unit 40 is, for example, built into the main body 31. The transport robot 30 is driven and controlled by the robot control unit 40 to travel on the floor units 17 and 18. In addition, the transport robot 30 is extended and retracted up and down by the robot control unit 40 to drive and control the telescopic drive unit 37.

[0058] The transport robot 30 is equipped with a microphone (not shown) for acquiring the transport instruction generated by the voice of the resident. The robot control unit 40 determines the movement path of the transport robot 30 based on the acquired transport instruction of the resident, and controls each drive unit 34 and 37 based on the determined movement path, thereby implementing the movement control of the transport robot 30. In addition, the robot control unit 40 has a memory storing the floor plan information of the building 10, and implements the movement control of the transport robot 30 with reference to the floor plan information stored in the memory.

[0059] Next, use Figure 1 At the same time, a structure for moving the transfer robot 30 between the first floor portion 17 and the second floor portion 18 will be described.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , a portion of the staircase space 15 is a non-installation space 15a where the staircase 16 is not installed. A portion of the non-installation space 15a is a lifting space 41 for lifting the transfer robot 30 between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12. The lifting space 41 extends from the floor surface of the first floor portion 17 to a position higher than the floor surface of the second floor portion 18. Figure 1 In the figure, for convenience, a rectangular frame with two-dot chain lines is used to represent the outer edge of the lifting space 41.

[0061] In the second floor portion 12, the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 are adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction. In the present building 10, the staircase hall 23 is used as a storage space for placing articles such as corrugated cardboard boxes. For example, the articles placed in the staircase hall 23 become the objects to be transported by the transport robot 30. In addition, the staircase hall 23 is equivalent to the upper adjacent space. Between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23, a waist wall 43 is provided as a partition wall separating the two spaces 23 and 41. The waist wall 43 is provided in a manner of standing upward from the floor surface of the staircase hall 23.

[0062] A storage section 45 for storing articles is provided above the waist wall 43. Figure 1 In addition, we also use Figure 3 , Figure 4A as well as Figure 4B At the same time, the structure around the storage portion 45 is described. Figure 3 4 is a three-dimensional view of the storage unit 45 and its surroundings observed from the stair space 15. Figure 4A as well as Figure 4B is a three-dimensional view of the storage unit 45 and its surroundings as viewed from the staircase hall 23, and Figure 4A The state in which the opening and closing body 48 is closed is shown. Figure 4BThe state in which the opening and closing body 48 is opened is shown.

[0063] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4A as well as Figure 4B As shown, the storage section 45 is a storage rack formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is arranged in a manner that spans the upper end of the waist wall 43 and the ceiling surface of the stair hall 23. The storage section 45 has a door portion 45a that opens left and right, and the door portion 45a is opened so that items can be put in or taken out from the stair hall 23. The storage section 45 is arranged in a manner that extends toward the stair space 15 side (the lifting space 41 side) compared to the waist wall 43. As a result, the lifting space 41 is formed as a space from the floor surface of the first floor portion 17 to the lower surface 45b of the storage section 45. In addition, the storage section 45 is equivalent to the extension portion.

[0064] A rectangular opening 47 is formed on the waist wall 43 to connect the lift space 41 with the staircase hall 23. The opening 47 is formed in a vertical range from the floor surface of the staircase hall 23 to the lower surface 45b of the storage section 45. The transfer robot 30 can move between the lift space 41 and the staircase hall 23 by passing through the opening 47.

[0065] The waist wall 43 is provided with an opening and closing body 48 for opening and closing the opening 47. The opening and closing body 48 is formed in a rectangular plate shape and is mounted on the waist wall 43 in a rotatable manner at the upper end. Specifically, the opening and closing body 48 is mounted on both sides of the waist wall 43 that sandwich the opening 47 in a rotatable manner. Thus, the opening 47 is opened and closed by rotating the opening and closing body 48. In addition, although the opening and closing body 48 is usually set to a closed state, in Figure 1 In the figure, the opening state is shown for convenience. In addition, the opening and closing body 48 is driven to open and close by an opening and closing driving unit 49 composed of a motor or the like.

[0066] A moving mechanism 50 is provided on the lower surface 45b of the storage portion 45 so that the transfer robot 30 can move between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 through the opening 47. Figure 5A to Figure 5C The moving mechanism 50 will be described. Figure 5A to Figure 5C , which is a perspective view showing the moving mechanism 50, and Figure 5A The arm 52 of the moving mechanism 50 is shown in a first position, Figure 5B The arm 52 is shown in the second position, Figure 5C The arm 52 is shown in the third position. Figure 5A to Figure 5C In FIG. 1 , for convenience of explanation, each part other than the moving mechanism 50 such as the storage part 45 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0067] like Figure 5A to Figure 5C As shown in the figure, the moving mechanism 50 includes a pair of guide rails 51 mounted on the lower surface 45b of the storage portion 45, and a pair of arms 52 provided so as to be guided by each guide rail 51. Each guide rail 51 extends in an L-shape along the lower surface 45b of the storage portion 45, and is arranged so as to be separated in the width direction of the opening portion 47. Each guide rail 51 includes a first rail portion 51a extending in the opening direction of the opening portion 47 (in other words, in the thickness direction of the waist wall 43), and a second rail portion 51b extending from the end of the first rail portion 51a on the opposite side to the opening portion 47 to a side separated from each other in the width direction of the opening portion 47.

[0068] Each arm 52 is a support unit that supports the transfer robot 30. The moving mechanism 50 is configured to move the transfer robot 30 between the lift space 41 and the staircase hall 23 by moving each arm 52 along the guide rail 51 while the transfer robot 30 is supported by each arm 52. Each arm 52 is formed into an L shape by a rod-shaped material and is mounted on each guide rail 51 in a suspended state.

[0069] Each arm 52 includes a mounting portion 52a extending in the vertical direction and having its upper end mounted on the guide rail 51, and a support portion 52b extending from the lower end of the mounting portion 52a toward the opening 47 and supporting the transfer robot 30. The mounting portion 52a is provided so as to be able to slide along the guide rail 51 when mounted on the guide rail 51, and the arm 52 can move along the guide rail 51 by the sliding. In this case, each arm 52 moves parallel to the guide rail 51 without changing its direction. In addition, the support portions 52b of each arm 52 are arranged in parallel with each other.

[0070] Each arm 52 is movable between the following positions: a first position ( Figure 5A The position shown in the figure), the second position ( Figure 5B ), and a third position ( Figure 5C shown).

[0071] When each arm 52 moves from the first position to the second position, each arm 52 approaches each other in the width direction of the opening 47. Thus, when each arm 52 is located at the second position, an arm closed state is formed in which the interval between each arm 52 is reduced (see Figure 8B as well as Fig.8FOn the other hand, when each arm 52 moves from the second position to the first position, each arm 52 moves away from each other in the width direction of the opening 47. Thus, when each arm 52 is located at the first position, the arm 52 is in an open state in which the intervals between the arms 52 are increased (see Fig. 8A as well as Figure 8G ).

[0072] In the arm-closed state, the interval between the arms 52 is smaller than the outer diameter of the loading portion 32 of the transfer robot 30. Therefore, in the arm-closed state, the flange portion 32a of the loading portion 32 can be hooked by the support portion 52b of each arm 52 to support the transfer robot 30 (see Figure 8B as well as Fig.8F ). In addition, in the arm-closed state, each arm 52 is hooked on the flange portion 32a of the loading portion 32 at both sides of the clamping column portion 35. In this case, each arm 52 is hooked on each portion of the flange portion 32a that protrudes toward both sides of the clamping column portion 35, and each of these protruding portions corresponds to a "protrusion". On the other hand, in the arm-opened state (that is, the first position), the interval between each arm 52 is larger than the outer diameter of the loading portion 32. Therefore, in the arm-opened state, the hooking of the loading portion 32 by each arm 52 is released (refer to Fig. 8A as well as Figure 8G ).

[0073] In this way, each arm 52 is switched between the first position and the second position by moving each arm 52. Then, in the case where the transport robot 30 is in the extended state in the lifting space 41, when each arm 52 is switched from the arm-open state to the arm-closed state, each arm 52 is hooked on the flange portion 32a of the mounting portion 32 and becomes a supporting state for supporting the transport robot 30. When each arm 52 is switched from the arm-closed state to the arm-open state, the hook of each arm 52 relative to the flange portion 32a is released, and each arm 52 becomes a support-released state for not supporting the transport robot 30.

[0074] When each arm 52 is located at the third position, it is located closer to the opening 47 than when each arm 52 is located at the second position (see Fig.8D as well as Fig. 8E ). When each arm 52 moves between the second position and the third position, each arm 52 moves toward the opening direction of the opening 47 while maintaining the interval between each other, that is, maintaining the arm closed state. Thus, each arm 52 can move between the second position and the third position while supporting the transfer robot 30, thereby the transfer robot 30 passes through the opening 47 and is moved between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 (refer to FIG. 8C to FIG. 8F ).

[0075] In addition, each arm 52 usually waits at the first position. Therefore, the first position can also be called a waiting position of the arm 52.

[0076] Each arm 52 is moved along the guide rail 51 by driving an arm driving unit 55 formed of a motor. The arm driving unit 55 is provided on the lower surface 45b side of the storage unit 45, for example.

[0077] Next, based on Figure 6 , a control system for implementing movement control of the arm 52 is described. Figure 6 2 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a control system for implementing movement control of the arm 52 .

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, in the building 10, a controller 60 for implementing movement control of the arm 52 is provided. The controller 60 is configured to include a well-known microcomputer having a CPU and the like, and is provided, for example, on a wall surface of the staircase hall 23. A robot detection sensor 57 and a load sensor 58 are connected to the controller 60. The robot detection sensor 57 is a sensor for detecting the presence of the transfer robot 30 around the arm 52, and is installed, for example, on the mounting portion 52a of the arm 52. In addition, the load sensor 58 is a sensor for detecting the downward load acting on the arm 52, and is installed, for example, on the guide rail 51 supporting the arm 52. The detection results detected by these sensors 57 and 58 are sequentially output from each sensor 57 and 58 to the controller 60.

[0079] The controller 60 is connected to the opening and closing drive unit 49 and the arm drive unit 55. The controller 60 controls the opening and closing of the opening and closing body 48 by the opening and closing drive unit 49 and controls the movement of the arm 52 by the arm drive unit 55 based on the detection results from the robot detection sensor 57 and the load sensor 58.

[0080] Next, based on Figure 7 The flowchart shown in FIG. 1 illustrates the arm control processing performed by the controller 60. Here, the following situation is assumed, that is, a resident (for example, an elderly person) in the living room of the first floor portion 11 issues a transport instruction to the transport robot 30 in order to transport the corrugated cardboard box N placed in the staircase hall 23 of the second floor portion 12 to the living room, and the robot control unit 40 implements movement control of the transport robot 30 based on the transport instruction. Therefore, in the following, the arm control processing implemented by the controller 60 is described according to the flow of movement of the transport robot 30. In addition, the arm control processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle. In addition, in Figure 8A to Figure 8H , the transport robot 30 is shown to be moved between the lift space 41 and the staircase hall 23 by the arm 52, and reference will be made to this figure as appropriate in the following text. Figure 8A to Figure 8H .

[0081] The robot control unit 40 of the transport robot 30 determines the moving path of the transport robot 30 based on the transport instruction of the resident. Here, as the moving path of the transport robot 30, a path is determined in which the transport robot 30 moves in the order of "living room where the resident is located → corridor 21 → lifting space 41 → staircase hall 23 (where corrugated cardboard boxes N are placed) → lifting space 41 → corridor 21 → living room where the resident is located". Then, the robot control unit 40 implements the movement control of the transport robot 30 based on the determined moving path.

[0082] In this case, first, the transfer robot 30 travels on the first floor portion 17, thereby moving from the living room to the lift space 41 via the corridor 21. Then, when reaching the lift space 41, the column portion 35 is extended to change to the extended state. As a result, the loading portion 32 of the transfer robot 30 is raised in the lift space 41 to the second floor portion 12 (see FIG. 1 ). Fig. 8A ). In addition, in this extended state, the transfer robot 30 is located between the arms 52 in the second floor portion 12. In addition, at this time, the arms 52 are located at the first position (standby position).

[0083] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , in the arm control process, first, in step S11, it is determined whether the transfer robot 30 is in the extended state ( Figure 2B The judgment is made based on the detection result from the robot detection sensor 57. That is to say, since the existence of the transport robot 30 is detected around the arm 52 by the robot detection sensor 57, it can be regarded that the transport robot 30 is set to the extended state and the loading part 32 and the like are present near the arm 52. Therefore, in this case, it is judged that the transport robot 30 is set to the extended state. In this case, proceed to step S12. In contrast, since the existence of the transport robot 30 is not detected around the arm 52 by the robot detection sensor 57, it can be regarded that the transport robot 30 set to the extended state does not exist in the lifting space 41. Therefore, in this case, the judgment of step S11 will be denied, thereby terminating the present processing.

[0084] In step S12, the opening and closing driving unit 49 is driven to set the opening and closing body 48 to the open state. Fig. 8A As shown, the opening 47 is opened.

[0085] In the next step S13, the arm driving unit 55 is driven to move each arm 52 from the first position to the second position. Figure 8B As shown, each arm 52 is in the arm-closed state and hooked on the flange portion 32a of the placing portion 32 of the transfer robot 30. Then, the transfer robot 30 is supported by each arm 52 by this hooking.

[0086] The transfer robot 30 changes from the extended state to the normal state when supported by each arm 52 ( Figure 2A For example, the transport robot 30 has an arm sensor built in to detect the approach of the arm 52, and the robot control unit 40 determines that the arm 52 is supported based on the approach detection performed by the arm sensor. Then, the robot control unit 40 changes the transport robot 30 from the extended state to the normal state based on the fact that the determination is made. In this case, Figure 8C As shown, the transfer robot 30 is retracted while being supported by the arms 52 , and thereby the entire transfer robot 30 is lifted to the second floor portion 12 .

[0087] In the next step S14, it is determined whether the transfer robot 30 has changed from the extended state to the normal state. This determination is performed based on the detection result from the load sensor 58. Since the transfer robot 30 is in a state of being placed on the first floor portion 17 when the transfer robot 30 is in the extended state, the downward load from the transfer robot 30 hardly acts on the arm 52. In contrast, since the transfer robot 30 moves upward from the first floor portion 17 when the transfer robot 30 starts to shrink from the extended state to the normal state, the downward load from the transfer robot 30 acts on the arm 52 to a large extent. Therefore, in this step, when the load detected by the load sensor 58 becomes larger, it is determined that the transfer robot 30 starts to shrink toward the normal state, and then, when a predetermined time has passed from the time of this determination, it is determined that the transfer robot 30 has changed to the normal state. In this case, the predetermined time is set to the time required for the transfer robot 30 to change from the extended state to the normal state or a time longer than this time. When the transfer robot 30 has shifted to the normal state, the process proceeds to step S15 . When the transfer robot 30 has not shifted to the normal state, this determination is repeatedly performed until the transfer robot 30 has shifted to the normal state.

[0088] In step S15, the arm driving unit 55 is driven to move each arm 52 from the second position to the third position. Fig.8DAs shown, the transfer robot 30 supported by each arm 52 is moved from the lift space 41 to the staircase hall 23 through the opening 47 . In this case, the transfer robot 30 is placed on the floor portion 18 of the staircase hall 23 .

[0089] The transport robot 30 starts to travel when it is placed on the floor portion 18 of the stair hall 23. Therefore, in step S16, it is determined whether the transport robot 30 has started to travel on the floor portion 18. This determination is implemented based on the detection result from the load sensor 58. When the transport robot 30 starts to travel, the downward load from the transport robot 30 will no longer act on each arm 52. Therefore, in this step, when no load is detected by the load sensor 58, it is determined that the transport robot 30 has started to travel. In the case where the transport robot 30 has started to travel, proceed to step S17, and in the case where the transport robot 30 has not started to travel, this determination is repeatedly implemented until it starts to travel. In addition, in the case where the transport robot 30 has started to travel, each arm 52 waits at the third position.

[0090] When the transport robot 30 starts to move, it moves to the storage space of the staircase hall 23 and receives the corrugated cardboard box N placed in the space. For example, a moving device for moving items is provided in the storage space, and when the transport robot 30 moves to the storage space, the moving device automatically places the corrugated cardboard box N on the loading portion 32. When the transport robot 30 receives the corrugated cardboard box N, Fig. 8E As shown, it returns to the support position where it is hooked and supported by each arm 52.

[0091] In step S17, it is determined whether the transport robot 30 has returned to the support position supported by each arm 52. This determination is performed based on the detection result from the load sensor 58. When the transport robot 30 returns to the support position, the downward load from the transport robot 30 acts on each arm 52. Therefore, in this step, when the load is detected by the load sensor 58, it is determined that the transport robot 30 has returned to the support position. When the transport robot 30 has returned to the support position supported by each arm 52, the process proceeds to step S18. When the transport robot 30 has not returned to the support position, this determination is repeatedly performed until it returns.

[0092] In step S18, the arm driving unit 55 is driven to move each arm 52 from the third position to the second position. Fig.8F As shown, the transfer robot 30 supported by each arm 52 moves from the staircase hall 23 through the opening 47 to the lift space 41 .

[0093] When the transfer robot 30 moves into the lifting space 41, it changes from the normal state to the extended state. Figure 8G As shown, the main body 31 of the transfer robot 30 is lowered from the second floor portion 12 to the first floor portion 11 while being supported by the arms 52 . Then, the main body 31 is placed on the first floor portion 17 .

[0094] In step S19, it is determined whether the transfer robot 30 has changed from the normal state to the extended state. This determination is performed based on the detection result from the load sensor 58. When the transfer robot 30 has changed to the extended state, that is, when the main body 31 is placed on the first floor portion 17 and the load detected by the load sensor 58 has decreased, the process proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, when the transfer robot 30 has not changed to the extended state, this determination is repeatedly performed until the change is made.

[0095] In step S20, the arm driving unit 55 is driven to move each arm 52 from the second position to the first position. Figure 8H As shown in the figure, the arms 52 are in the arm-opened state, and the hooking of the flange portion 32a of the placing portion 32 by the arms 52 is released. In other words, the support of the transfer robot 30 by the arms 52 is released. Thus, the transfer robot 30 is set to a state of being self-supporting on the first floor portion 17 in the extended state.

[0096] In the next step S21, the opening and closing driving unit 49 is driven to set the opening and closing body 48 to the closed state. As a result, the opening 47 is sealed. Thereafter, this process ends.

[0097] The transport robot 30 then changes from the extended state to the normal state. Thus, the transport robot 30 descends from the second floor portion 12 to the first floor portion 11 in the lifting space 41. Thereafter, the transport robot 30 travels on the first floor floor portion 17 and moves from the lifting space 41 to the living room where the resident is located via the corridor 21. Thus, the transport robot 30 transports the corrugated cardboard box N to the resident's side.

[0098] According to the structure of this embodiment described in detail above, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

[0099] In the stair space 15 spanning the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12, a non-installation space 15a where the staircase 16 is not installed is used to form a lifting space 41 for the transfer robot 30, and the transfer robot 30 is moved between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 by passing through the lifting space 41. In addition, in the second floor portion 12, an opening 47 is formed on the waist wall 43 that separates the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23, and the transfer robot 30 is moved between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 by passing through the opening 47. Thus, in the present building 10, the stair space 15 in the building 10 can be used to move the transfer robot 30 between the first floor portion 17 and the second floor portion 18. As a result, there is no need to separately provide a dedicated lifting space (ceiling space) in the building 10 for the transfer robot 30 to be moved between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12. Therefore, the transfer robot 30 can be moved between the first floor part 11 and the second floor part 12 while suppressing any restriction on the layout inside the building 10 .

[0100] The transport robot 30 is raised and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lift space 41 by its telescopic function (lifting unit), and is moved between the lift space 41 and the staircase hall 23 by the moving mechanism 50 in the second floor portion 12. For example, although it is also considered that a moving mechanism is provided in the building 10 to move the transport robot 30 between the first floor floor portion 17 of the lift space 41 and the second floor floor portion 18 of the staircase hall 23, it is considered that in this case, the structure of the moving mechanism will become significantly complicated. In this regard, in the above-mentioned structure in which the transport robot 30 is moved by the telescopic function of the transport robot 30 and the moving mechanism 50, the transport robot 30 can be moved between the first floor portion 17 and the second floor portion 18 while suppressing the structure of the moving mechanism 50 from becoming complicated.

[0101] Furthermore, by utilizing the telescopic function of the transfer robot 30 to lift the transfer robot 30 between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lift space 41, it is not necessary to provide a lift unit on the building 10 side, thereby simplifying the structure on the building 10 side. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to provide a lift unit in the lift space 41, there is no problem that the lift unit gets in the way when residents and the like pass through the lift space 41.

[0102] The moving mechanism 50 is mounted on the lower surface 45b of the storage section 45 extending toward the lifting space 41 above the waist wall 43. Thus, the moving mechanism 50 can be mounted in a stable state by using the storage section 45, and the moving mechanism 50 can be made less conspicuous by the storage section 45.

[0103] The transport robot 30 is supported by hooking the pair of arms 52 on the flange portion 32a of the loading portion 32 of the transport robot 30. Specifically, the transport robot 30 is supported by hooking the pair of arms 52 on the respective portions protruding to both sides of the clamping column portion 35 in the flange portion 32a of the loading portion 32. In this case, since the transport robot 30 can be supported from both sides by the pair of arms 52, the transport robot 30 can be supported in a stable state. In addition, in the structure in which the transport robot 30 is hooked and supported by the pair of arms 52, the transport robot 30 can be supported even if the position of the transport robot 30 is somewhat deviated, compared with, for example, a structure in which the transport robot 30 is clamped and supported by the pair of arms. Therefore, the transport robot 30 can be supported in a stable state and reliably.

[0104] Since the arms 52 are hooked on the flanges 32 a of the placement section 32 to support the transfer robot 30 , not only can the placement section 32 be used to place articles, but the placement section 32 can also be used as a hooking section for the arms 52 .

[0105] In the first floor portion 11, the corridor 21 is provided adjacent to the lifting space 41, and in the second floor portion 12, the staircase hall 23 is provided adjacent to the lifting space 41. Since the corridor 21 and the staircase hall 23 are both non-living room spaces, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of such undesirable conditions that attract the attention of residents when the transfer robot 30 is moved by the moving mechanism 50, as compared to the case where a living room is provided adjacent to the lifting space 41.

[0106] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and may be implemented in the following manner, for example.

[0107] (1) Fig. 9A , 9B , 9C shows an example of a change in the moving mechanism. Figures 9A to 9CThe moving mechanism 70 shown in the figure is provided with a pair of guide rails 71 and a pair of arms 72, similarly to the moving mechanism 50 of the above-mentioned embodiment. Each guide rail 71 extends parallel to each other in the opening direction of the opening 47. In addition, each arm 72 has a mounting portion 72a and a support portion 72b, similarly to the arm 52 of the above-mentioned embodiment, and is formed in an L-shape. Each arm 72 is movable along the guide rail 71, and is provided to be rotatable around the mounting portion 72a extending vertically.

[0108] exist Fig. 9A 72 is shown in the first position. Fig. 9B In FIG. 1 , each arm 72 is shown in the second position. Fig. 9C 72 is shown in the third position. Fig. 9A As shown, when each arm 72 is in the first position, the support portions 72b of each arm 72 extend parallel to each other in the opening direction of the opening 47. In this case, each arm 72 is in the arm-opened state.

[0109] like Fig. 9B As shown, when each arm 72 moves from the first position to the second position, each arm 72 rotates inwardly with the mounting portion 72a as the center. That is, each arm 72 rotates in a manner that the supporting portions 72b of each arm 72 approach each other. Therefore, when each arm 72 is located at the second position, each arm 72 is in an arm-closed state that is closer to each other than the arm-open state. Thus, even in this moving mechanism 70, each arm 72 is switched between the arm-open state and the arm-closed state by moving between the first position and the second position. Therefore, by this switching, it is possible to implement the hooking and release of the flange portion 32a of the loading portion 32 by each arm 72, and further, it is possible to support and release the support of the transport robot 30 by each arm 72.

[0110] like Fig. 9C As shown in the figure, when each arm 72 moves between the second position and the third position, each arm 72 moves in parallel along the guide rail 71. Therefore, each arm 72 moves between the second position and the third position while maintaining the arm closed state. Thus, even according to the moving mechanism 70 of this example, by moving each arm 72 between the second position and the third position, the transfer robot 30 supported by each arm 72 can be moved between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 through the opening 47.

[0111] (2) In the above embodiment, the transfer robot 30 is hooked and supported by the arms 52, but the transfer robot 30 may be clamped and supported by the arms. For example, a structure in which the transfer robot 30 is supported by clamping the column 35 of the transfer robot 30 by the arms is considered.

[0112] (3) In the above embodiment, the storage unit 45 is provided as the extension portion in the building 10, but a table or a stand may be provided as the extension portion. In this case, the moving mechanism 50 may be mounted on the lower surface of the extension portion.

[0113] (4) In the building 10 of the above-mentioned embodiment, a waist wall 43 is provided between the staircase hall 23 and the lifting space 41, and a storage section 45 is provided above the waist wall 43. However, depending on the building, a partition wall (equivalent to a partition wall) extending vertically from the floor surface of the staircase hall 23 to the ceiling surface is provided between the staircase hall 23 and the lifting space 41, and no extending portion such as a storage section is provided. In such a building, an opening for moving the transport robot 30 is formed on the partition wall, and a moving mechanism is installed on the surface of the partition wall on the lifting space 41 side. In this case, the moving mechanism is configured to extend from the partition wall to the lifting space 41.

[0114] (5) In the above embodiment, the transport robot 30 is configured to be lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lifting space 41 by its own telescopic function. However, a lifting unit that enables the transport robot 30 to be lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 may be provided in the lifting space 41 on the building 10 side. In this case, the transport robot may not have the telescopic function.

[0115] As the lifting means involved, for example, a case where a rod-shaped body such as a pole extending vertically across the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 is provided in the lifting space 41 is considered. In this case, similar to the technology of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-262261 mentioned above, a case where the transport robot can travel in the vertical direction along the rod-shaped body and the transport robot can be lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lifting space 41 by the travel is considered.

[0116] In the structure involved, when the transport robot ascends from the first floor portion 11 to the second floor portion 12 along the rod-shaped body in the lift space 41, the transport robot is supported by the arms 52, and in this supported state, the transport robot is moved from the lift space 41 to the staircase hall 23. Furthermore, when the transport robot is moved from the staircase hall 23 to the lift space 41 while being supported by the arms 52, the transport robot is supported by the rod-shaped body, and the support by the arms 52 is released. Thereafter, the transport robot descends from the second floor portion 12 to the first floor portion 11 along the rod-shaped body.

[0117] In addition, as a lifting unit, in addition to this, a lifting platform capable of lifting and lowering between the floor surface of the first floor portion 17 and the second floor portion 12 is also considered to be provided in the lifting space 41. In this case, the lifting platform is raised and lowered in a state where the transfer robot is placed on the lifting platform, so that the transfer robot is lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lifting space 41.

[0118] (6) In the above embodiment, the moving mechanism 50 is provided to move the transfer robot 30 between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 in the second floor portion 12. However, a moving device may be provided to directly move the transfer robot 30 between the first floor portion 17 in the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23, instead of the moving mechanism. In this case, the transfer robot is lifted and lowered between the first floor portion 11 and the second floor portion 12 in the lifting space 41, and is moved between the lifting space 41 and the staircase hall 23 in the second floor portion 12, by the moving device. As the moving device, for example, a structure having an arm that supports the transfer robot and a guide rail that guides the arm is considered similar to the moving mechanism 50 in the above embodiment.

[0119] (7) Although the opening and closing body 48 for opening and closing the opening 47 is provided in the above embodiment, the opening and closing body 48 may not be provided and the opening 47 may be always open. In this case, the opening and closing drive unit 49 may not be provided in addition to the opening and closing body 48, thereby simplifying the structure. However, in this case, since there is a possibility that articles or the like may fall through the opening 47, it is preferable to provide the opening and closing body 48 in view of this point.

[0120] (8) For example, although it is not planned to introduce the transfer robot 30 into the building 10 when the building 10 is newly constructed, if it is planned to introduce it in the future, the moving mechanism 50 can be pre-installed on the storage section 45 when the building 10 is newly constructed. In this case, when the transfer robot 30 is introduced, not only can the opening 47 be formed in the waist wall 43, but also the introduction of the transfer robot 30 can be easily performed.

[0121] (9) The structure of the transfer robot 30 is not necessarily limited to that of the above-described embodiment. For example, the transfer robot 30 may be provided with a movable arm, and the transfer robot 30 may grasp the article to be transferred by the arm and place it on the placement unit 32 .

[0122] (10) Although in the above embodiment, a transport robot 30 for transporting articles is provided as a traveling body in the building 10, a robot having other purposes, such as a cleaning robot for cleaning the building 10, may also be provided as a traveling body. For example, when a cleaning robot is provided in the building 10, since the carrying portion 32 (flange portion 32a) is not provided in the cleaning robot, it is necessary to provide a pair of protrusions that face opposite sides and protrude laterally on the cleaning robot, and to hook a pair of arms 52 on each of these protrusions to support the cleaning robot.

[0123] (11) In the above embodiment, the upper-floor adjacent space that is continuous with the lift space 41 via the opening 47 in the second-floor portion 12 is the staircase hall 23, but the upper-floor adjacent space is not necessarily the staircase hall 23, and may be, for example, a living room. In addition, in the above embodiment, the space that is continuous with the lift space 41 in the first-floor portion 11 is the corridor 21, but this continuous space may be, for example, a living room.

[0124] (12) In the above embodiment, a spiral staircase is provided as the staircase 16 in the stair space 15. However, for example, Fig.10 As shown in FIG. 8 , there is also a case where a spiral staircase 81 is provided as a staircase. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to such a case. Fig.10 In the example of FIG. 1 , there is a space 82 extending in the vertical direction inside the spiral staircase 81 when viewed from above. The space 82 constitutes a part of the non-installation space in the staircase space 15 where the spiral staircase 81 is not installed. Therefore, the space 82 can also be used as a lifting space 83 for the transfer robot 30.

[0125] (13) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a two-story building 10, but the present invention can also be applied to a building with three or more floors. Even in this case, the present invention can be applied when the transfer robot 30 is moved between a lower layer and an upper layer that are adjacent to each other.

Claims

1. A building comprising a lower layer and an upper layer adjacent to each other in vertical direction, and a traveling body that travels on the floors of the lower layer and the upper layer to perform work, characterized in that: The staircase space is formed so as to span the lower part and the upper part, and is provided with stairs connecting the lower part and the upper part. In the building, a non-installation space in the stair space where the staircase is not installed is used to form a lifting space for lifting the traveling body between the lower layer and the upper layer. In the upper layer portion, an upper layer adjacent space is provided which is adjacent to the lifting space via a partition wall. The partition wall is provided with an opening for allowing the traveling body to move between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space. The traveling body can be raised and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer in the raising and lowering space by a raising and lowering unit. The building is provided with a moving mechanism, the moving mechanism having a supporting unit capable of supporting and releasing the traveling body at the upper layer in the lifting space, and the moving mechanism causes the traveling body to move through the opening between the lifting space and the upper adjacent space by operating the supporting unit while supporting the traveling body. The traveling body includes the lifting unit, and the lifting unit is configured to be telescopic in the up-down direction and is lifted and lowered between the lower portion and the upper portion by the telescopic movement.

2. The building according to claim 1, characterized in that A protruding portion that protrudes toward the lifting space side more than the partition wall is provided above the opening, and the moving mechanism is mounted on a lower surface of the protruding portion.

3. The building according to claim 1, characterized in that The traveling body has a pair of protrusions that protrude laterally and in opposite directions from each other. The moving mechanism includes, as the supporting means, a pair of movable arms that are hooked on the protruding portions of the traveling body to support the traveling body. The arms are brought into a supporting state in which they are hooked on the protruding portions and support the traveling body by approaching each other, and are brought into a support release state in which the hooking on the protruding portions is released by moving away from each other.

4. The building according to claim 3, characterized in that The traveling body is a transport robot for transporting articles. The transport robot includes a main body that travels on a floor, a placing portion that is disposed above the main body and places articles thereon, and a column that connects the main body and the placing portion. The column portion is configured to be retractable in the vertical direction. The transport robot includes the lifting unit, and the lifting unit is lifted and lowered between the lower layer and the upper layer by extending and retracting the column. The placement portion protrudes toward both sides sandwiching the column portion, and each of these protruding portions serves as the protruding portion hooked by the arm.

Images