Autonomous transport vehicle

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle capable of transporting a transport object comprising an article used in a board processing machine and a casing configured to detachably hold the article, the autonomous transport vehicle comprising: a main body; a support portion provided on the main body and configured to support the casing; a detection portion provided on the main body and configured to detect a presence or absence state of the article with respect to the casing when transporting the transport object; and a determination portion configured to determine whether attachment or detachment of the article with respect to the casing has been performed based on a detection result by the detection portion.

Description

Technical area

[0001] This description relates to an autonomous transport vehicle. State of the art

[0002] In recent years, in an article transportation system, as part of labor-saving efforts, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, for example, the transportation of a transportation object by an autonomous transportation vehicle has been increasingly performed. In this case, the transportation object is automatically transported by the autonomous transportation vehicle according to a predetermined transportation plan, and the automatic delivery of the transportation object can be performed at a transportation destination to which the transportation object has been transported.

[0003] In addition, for example, as disclosed in Patent Literature 2, a parts feeder, which is a transportation object, can be transported using a carriage detachably connected to an electronic component mounter. Here, a component monitoring system disclosed in Patent Literature 2 includes a monitoring device that determines whether a storage state of the parts feeder has changed during a period from the time the parts feeder is loaded onto the carriage to the time the carriage is connected to the electronic component mounter, and issues a warning when the storage state of the parts feeder has changed. List of cited documentsPatent literature Patent literature 1:WO 2021 / 144866 Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2015-220304 Summary of the inventionTechnical problem

[0004] With regard to autonomous transport vehicles, efforts have been made to generalize autonomous transport vehicles rather than specialize them, thus enabling the transportation of various transport objects for more efficient operations. Furthermore, in production facilities where various transport objects are transported by autonomous transport vehicles, no worker generally accompanies or supervises the transportation process. For this reason, for example, even if an article constituting the transport object is attached or removed during transportation, regardless of intent or negligence, whether the attachment or removal of the article has occurred can only be determined after the transport object is delivered to the transportation destination.In this case, delayed detection could, for example, lead to a shortage of required components, which could impact production. Therefore, when transporting the transport object by the autonomous transport vehicle, it is desirable that the attachment or removal of the item can be detected promptly.

[0005] An object of the present description is to provide an autonomous transport vehicle capable of detecting and determining the attachment or removal of an article during the transport of a transport object. Solution to the task

[0006] The present specification discloses an autonomous transport vehicle capable of transporting a transport object including an article used in a board processing machine and a casing configured to detachably hold the article, the autonomous transport vehicle comprising: a main body; a support portion provided on the main body and configured to support the casing; a detection portion provided on the main body and configured to detect a presence or absence state of the article with respect to the casing when transporting the transport object; and a determination portion configured to determine whether attachment or detachment of the article with respect to the casing has been performed based on a detection result by the detection portion.

[0007] The present specification also discloses a technical idea in which "the autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1" in the original claim 9 of the application is changed to "the autonomous transport vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8." Furthermore, the present specification also discloses a technical idea in which "the autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1" in the original claim 10 of the application is changed to "the autonomous transport vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9." Furthermore, the present specification also discloses a technical idea in which "the autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1 or 2" in the original claim 14 of the application is changed to "the autonomous transport vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 13." Advantageous effects of the invention

[0008] With the autonomous transport vehicle, the detection section can immediately detect and determine the attachment or removal of the item during transport of the transport object. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a production line including an autonomous transport vehicle. Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the autonomous transport vehicle in a state where a transport object is placed thereon. Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a carriage constituting a main body of the autonomous transport vehicle. Fig. Figure 4 is a diagram showing detection by a sensing section and notification to an external location. Fig. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing an autonomous transport vehicle in a state where a transport object is placed thereon according to a first modification example. Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a carriage which is a main body of the autonomous transport vehicle according to the first modification example. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration of a detecting portion of the first modification example. Fig. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing an autonomous transport vehicle in a state where a transport object is placed thereon according to a second modification example. Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing a carriage which is a main body of the autonomous transport vehicle according to the second modification example. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing detection by a detection section and notification to the outside according to a third modification example. Description of implementation examples

[0009] An autonomous transport vehicle will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the autonomous transport vehicle transports a transport object required for production on a production line including a blank processing machine will be described as an example. 1. Overview of the PL production line

[0010] As in Fig. 1, the production line PL includes a warehouse 1, an automatic belt processing device 3 installed in an offline setup area 2, a roll loader 4, a buffer station 5, and a component mounter 6 as board processing machines. Furthermore, the production line PL includes a roll transport vehicle VR and a feed transport vehicle VF as autonomous transport vehicles capable of transporting transport objects C including an article used in the component mounter 6 and a container that detachably holds the article. In the production line PL, for example, the article (for example, a belt conveyor or the like) transported (moved) by the feed transport vehicle VF to the buffer station 5 is supplied to each of the plurality of component mounters 6 by the loader 7.In the present embodiment, a case is illustrated in which the feed transport vehicle VF transports the article to the buffer station 5, but the feed transport vehicle VF may also transport the article to the component mounter 6.

[0011] Here, examples of the article used in the component mounter 6 as a board processing machine include a tape reel or a belt conveyor that feeds an electronic component or the like to the component mounter 6, and a suction nozzle that picks up the fed component by suction. Other examples of the article include a mask in a case where the board processing machine is a printing machine, and a tray or a board (workpiece). In addition, examples in the case constituting the transport object C include a rack for placing a tape reel, a suction nozzle, a mask, a board, or the like, a magazine that accommodates a belt conveyor, and a pallet for placing a tray.

[0012] The roll transport vehicle VR transports the transport object C from the entrance / exit 1a of the warehouse 1 to the automatic belt processing device 3 installed in the offline facility area 2. Furthermore, the roll transport vehicle VR transports the transport object C from the automatic belt processing device 3 to the roll loading device 4. Here, examples of transport objects C transported by the roll transport vehicle VR include belt rolls R (hereinafter simply referred to as "roll R") placed on a rack T, which is a housing.

[0013] The infeed transport vehicle VF transports the transport object C from the entrance / exit 1a of the warehouse 1 to the roll loading device 4. In addition, the infeed transport vehicle VF transports the transport object C from the roll loading device 4 to the buffer station 5. Examples of transport objects C transported by the infeed transport vehicle VF include a belt conveyor F (hereinafter simply referred to as “conveyor F”), which is an article housed in a magazine M, which is a housing.

[0014] The roll transport vehicle VR and the feed transport vehicle VF, which are autonomous transport vehicles, can communicate with the management device 8. Consequently, the roll transport vehicle VR guides the rack T on which the target roll R, i.e., the transport object C, is placed, out of the entrance / exit 1a of the warehouse 1 and carries the transport object C into the automatic tape processing device 3 according to a command based on a transport plan from the management device 8. Furthermore, the roll transport vehicle VR transports the rack T on which the roll R, around which a carrier tape is wound and which is subjected to the required processing in the automatic tape processing device 3, is placed, i.e., the transport object C, out of the automatic tape processing device 3 and transports the transport object C into the roll loading device 4.

[0015] Meanwhile, the feed transport vehicle VF transports the magazine M that accommodates the target conveyor F, i.e., the transport object C, from the entrance / exit 1a of the warehouse 1 and transports the transport object C into the roll loading device 4 according to a command based on the transport plan from the management device 8. In addition, the feed transport vehicle VF transports the magazine M that accommodates a plurality of conveyors F loaded with rolls R, i.e., the transport object C, from the roll loading device 4 and transports the transport object C into the buffer station 5. Further, the feed transport vehicle VF transports the magazine M that accommodates the conveyor F after supplying components, or the empty magazine M that does not accommodate a conveyor F, as the transport object C, from the buffer station 5 and transports the transport object C, for example, into the entrance / exit 1a of the warehouse 1.

[0016] Here, the roll transport vehicle VR and the feed transport vehicle VF differ in that the roll transport vehicle VR transports the roll R arranged on the frame T as the transport object C, while the feed transport vehicle VF transports the conveyor F housed in the magazine M as the transport object C. However, the roll transport vehicle VR and the feed transport vehicle VF have the same configuration. Therefore, the feed transport vehicle VF will be described in more detail below as an example.

[0017] In the present embodiment, a case is illustrated where the automatic tape processing device 3 and the roll loading device 4 are arranged independently of each other, but the automatic tape processing device 3 and the roll loading device 4 may be provided integrally. In this case, after processing by the automatic tape processing device 3, a loading operation by the roll loading device 4 is performed as it is. Therefore, in the production line PL, instead of accommodating both a roll transport vehicle VR that transports only the roll R arranged on the frame T as the transport object C and a feed transport vehicle VF that transports only the conveyor F accommodated in the magazine M as the transport object C, the feed transport vehicle VF may, for example, be configured to also transport the roll R arranged on the frame T as the transport object C. 2. Feed transport vehicle VF (Autonomous transport vehicle)

[0018] Next, a configuration of the infeed transport vehicle VF will be described, which is illustrated as an autonomous transport vehicle. As mentioned above, the infeed transport vehicle VF automatically transports the magazine M in which the conveyor F is housed or which is empty, as the transport object C according to the previously set transport plan. The transport plan is set for each transport object C (specific conveyor F and magazine M) transported by the infeed transport vehicle VF based on a production plan set for the production line PL. The transport plan specifies the type and number of conveyors F to be housed in the magazine M, the position of the housed conveyor F with respect to the magazine M, that is, the state of the magazine M to be transported, the conveyor lane for transporting the transport object C, the position (transportation destination) where the transport object C is to be loaded and unloaded, that is,the transport object C is to be delivered, and the like are determined in advance.

[0019] On the other hand, if the infeed transport vehicle VF transports the transport object C automatically (autonomously), there is a possibility that during transport an item that is not included in the transport plan may be inadvertently inserted or removed, regardless of intent or negligence. For example, the conveyor F that should be inserted into the magazine M may be forgotten, or a conveyor F may be inserted that should not be inserted into the magazine M. In this case, for example, the worker may insert the correct conveyor F into the magazine M or remove the wrong conveyor F from the magazine M during transport by the infeed transport vehicle VF. However, since inserting or removing the conveyor F into or from the magazine M is an action that restores the correct state of the magazine M according to the transport plan, the impact on production is minimal.

[0020] However, in a case where the insertion or removal of the conveyor F is performed during the transportation of the transportation object C by the infeed transportation vehicle VF, although the state of the magazine M is correct with respect to the transportation plan, for example, a conveyor F not included in the production plan may be mistakenly added and accommodated in the magazine M, or a correct conveyor F may be removed from the magazine M. That is, when such attachment or removal of the article is performed, the state of the magazine M transported as the transportation object C by the infeed transportation vehicle VF is different from the state of the magazine M previously set in the transportation plan.

[0021] For example, if no determination can be made about an incorrect conveyor F or the lack of a correct conveyor F during the transportation of the transport object C, this will be determined and discovered when the transport object C has been transported (delivered) to the buffer station 5. Since an incorrect conveyor F or the lack of a correct conveyor F may be detected at the transportation destination to which the transport object C was transported, the detection may take time, resulting in a delay in the detection. If the detection of an incorrect conveyor F or the lack of a correct conveyor F is delayed, the state of the magazine M will deviate from the transportation plan, which may lead to, for example, production stoppages due to a lack of components in the component picker 6 or difficulties in tracking the whereabouts or origin of the conveyor F or the components, which may affect production.

[0022] Therefore, when the autonomous transport vehicle including the feed transport vehicle VF transports the transport object C, it is necessary to detect, determine, and monitor the attachment or removal of the article even during transportation. Then, when the attachment or removal of the article is detected and determined during monitoring, notification information for issuing a notification that the attachment or removal has been performed is promptly output to the management device 8, and it is necessary, for example, to notify the worker or manager via a display device or the like installed on the production line PL.For example, in a case where the conveyor F is attached to or removed from the magazine M during transportation, the insertion (installation) of the conveyor F into the magazine M is likely to be incomplete, resulting in a risk of the conveyor F falling out of the magazine M during the transportation process by the infeed transportation vehicle VF.

[0023] In this regard, in the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, a feed transport vehicle VF, which is an autonomous transport vehicle, mainly comprises a carriage 10 as a main body, a carriage control section 16, a traveling device 20, and a detecting section 30 that detects the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of a conveyor F as an article into or from a magazine M, which is a case in transporting a transport object C. In the following description, as in Fig. 2, for the sake of simplicity, the front and rear, the left and right sides, and the top and bottom of the feed transport vehicle VF are defined.

[0024] The carriage 10 and the traveling device 20 are configured to be substantially symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in the front-back direction. The carriage 10, which forms the main body, is coupled to the traveling device 20 via a coupling mechanism (not shown). For example, the traveling device 20 can enter a bottom side of the carriage 10 from behind, pull and move the coupled carriage 10, and exit behind the carriage 10. The detection section 30 is provided on the carriage 10, which forms the main body. 2-1. Car 10

[0025] As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the trolley 10 mainly comprises a loading platform 11, left and right side surface sections 12, left and right leg sections 13, two front wheels 14 (in Fig. 2 only the left side is shown) and two rear wheels 15 and a carriage control section 16. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the loading platform 11 is substantially rectangular in plan view and is arranged horizontally spaced from a floor surface. The carriage 10, which constitutes the main body, is provided with a loading and unloading section 17 as a support section on an upper surface of the loading platform 11, and a detection section 30 is installed on a rear upper surface of the loading platform 11 in the front-rear direction.

[0026] The left and right side surface portions 12 are provided so as to extend downward from a left edge and a right edge of the loading platform 11. A gap through which the traveling device 20 enters is defined between the left and right side surface portions 12 on the underside of the loading platform 11. Left and right leg portions 13 extending in the front-rear direction are provided on the respective undersides of the side surface portions 12. A front lower part of the leg portion 13 is provided with a front idler wheel 14, and a rear lower part of the leg portion 13 is provided with a rear idler wheel 15. The total of four front wheels 14 and rear wheels 15 are free-wheeling wheels whose running directions are variable. In addition, two rear wheels 15 are provided with stoppers. 2-2. Wagon Tax Section 16 (Determination Section 161)

[0027] The car control section 16 is a microcomputer comprising CPU, ROM, RAM, and various interfaces as main components. The car control section 16 executes various programs (not shown) and thereby comprehensively controls the operation of the car 10 (in particular, the operation of the loading and unloading section 17 and the like).

[0028] In addition, as described in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, the carriage control section 16 communicates with the management control device 8. Further, the carriage control section 16 of the present embodiment includes a determination section 161 and detects the detection result S output from the connected detection section 30. The determination section 161 determines, based on the detection result S of the detection section 30, whether the conveyor F, which is an article, has been attached to or detached from (inserted into or removed from) the magazine M, which is a casing. Then, the carriage control section 16 communicates with the management control device 8, and outputs notification information J regarding the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F to the management control device 8 when the determination section 161 determines the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F.Thus, in the present embodiment, the management device 8 can promptly notify the worker, the manager, or the like of the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F, for example.

[0029] In the present embodiment, a case where the determination section 161 is provided in the car control section 16 is illustrated. However, the determination section 161 may be provided in a control device other than the car control section 16 (for example, the travel control section 25 described below, or the like), various computing devices, or the like. In addition, the determination section 161 may also be provided in a management device 8 that can communicate with the car control section 16. Furthermore, the determination section 161 may also be implemented in a cloud. 2-3. Loading / unloading section 17 (support section)

[0030] The loading / unloading section 17 loads the magazine M, in which the conveyor F is housed or which is empty, from a front side of the carriage 10 in the forward-backward direction. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the loading / unloading section 17 includes a main roller 171, six drive rollers 172, a guide roller 173, a locking mechanism 174, a locking hook 175, an operation panel 176, a drive motor (not shown), and the like. The three types of rollers are columnar or cylindrical members extending in the left-right direction and rotatably supported about their central axes. The guide roller 173, the three drive rollers 172, the main roller 171, and the three drive rollers 172 are arranged in this order from the front to the rear of the carriage 10.

[0031] The main roller 171 is driven by the forward rotation and reverse rotation of the drive motor and rotates in the forward and reverse directions. Six drive rollers 172 are coupled to the main roller 171 via a transmission belt (not shown) and rotate synchronously in the same rotation direction and at the same speed as the main roller 171. The guide roller 173 can rotate freely without any applied driving force. The magazine M (transport object C including rack T and the like) is loaded by the forward rotation of the main roller 171 and the drive rollers 172, and the magazine M (transport object C including rack T and the like) is unloaded by the reverse rotation. The control of the drive and stop of the drive motor and the control of the rotation direction are performed by the carriage control section 16.

[0032] The locking device 174 is arranged behind the rearmost drive roller 172. The locking device 174 locks the loaded magazine M (transport object C including frame T and the like) using the locking hook 175. As shown in Fig. 3, a front side of the locking hook 175 is bent upward, and the locking hook 175 is supported by using an elastic member so as to be pivotable in an up-down direction.

[0033] Consequently, when the magazine M (transportation object C including rack T and the like) is loaded, the locking hook 175 temporarily lowers and then rises again, thereby automatically locking a locking portion (not shown) provided at a rear end of the magazine M (transportation object C including rack T and the like). Alternatively, the locking hook 175 temporarily lowers and then rises, thereby automatically fitting into a locking hole provided at the rear end of the magazine M (transportation object C including rack T and the like). On the other hand, immediately before the magazine M (transportation object C including rack T and the like) is unloaded, the locking hook 175 is driven downward by, for example, an electromagnetic solenoid (not shown) to release the magazine M (transportation object C including rack T and the like) from the lock.In this case, the operation of the electromagnetic solenoid is controlled by the carriage control section 16.

[0034] As mentioned above, the loading / unloading operation of the loading / unloading section 17 is mainly performed automatically under the control of the truck control section 16. In addition, by operating the operation panel 176 arranged at a rear part of the loading platform 11, manual operation of some operations of the loading / unloading section 17 is possible. Specifically, by operating the operation panel 176, for example, in a case where the loading / unloading section 17 stops due to an abnormality (error) in the loading / unloading operation, that is, in a case of a so-called error stop, the error can be corrected or an emergency stop of the loading / unloading section 17 can be performed.In order for the loading / unloading section 17 to perform a stable loading / unloading operation, it is important that the infeed transport vehicle VF, more precisely the carriage 10, is transported (moved) along a conveyor path determined by the pre-determined transport plan, stops precisely at a stop position, and is directed toward the transport destination, which is a transport destination at the stop position.

[0035] Here, the cart 10 includes a power input connector (not shown) on the loading platform 11. The power input connector is arranged, for example, on a bottom plate of the loading platform 11, that is, so as to face the traveling device 20 retracted into the space formed between the left and right side surface portions 12. Thus, in a case where the cart 10 and the traveling device 20 are coupled to each other, the power input connector is attached to a power supply connector (not shown) provided on the traveling device 20 side. The power supply connector is connected to a battery (not shown) installed in the traveling device 20.Therefore, by attaching the power input connector on the carriage 10 side to the power supply connector on the traveling device 20 side, power for driving the carriage control section 16 and the loading / unloading section 17 is supplied from the battery on the traveling device 20 side. That is, it is not necessary to provide a battery on the carriage 10 to supply power for driving the carriage control section 16 and the loading / unloading section 17.

[0036] In the carriage 10, a coupling mechanism for coupling with the traveling device 20 is provided on the bottom plate of the loading platform 11, which is retracted into the gap formed between the left and right side surface portions 12. In addition, the carriage 10 is provided with a positioning mechanism (buffer) that enables positioning of the carriage 10, i.e., the feed transport vehicle VF, during loading or unloading of the transport object C, at a front part of the loading platform 11. Since the configurations and operations of the coupling mechanism and the positioning mechanism are not directly related to the present embodiment, their description will be omitted. 2-4. Driving device 20

[0037] As in Fig. 2, the traveling device 20 comprises a device main body 21, a pair of left and right driving wheels 22 (in Fig. 2 only the left side is shown), a pair of left and right front wheels 23 (in Fig. 2 only the left side is shown), a pair of left and right rear wheels 24 (in Fig. 2 (only the left side is shown), a travel control section 25, a control panel 26, a travel motor (not shown), and the like. The device main body 21 has a substantially elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape in the front-back direction and is formed into a shape having four rounded corners in plan view. The device main body 21 is arranged horizontally so as to have a small clearance from the ground surface.

[0038] The drive wheel 22 is arranged at an intermediate position in the forward-backward direction on the underside of the device main body 21. Each of the drive wheels 22 is driven by the forward and reverse rotation of the travel motor, which is controlled by the travel control section 25. The drive wheels 22 can rotate at different speeds or in different directions relative to each other. This allows the travel device 20 to move freely forward and backward and change direction.

[0039] The front wheel 23 is arranged at a position in front of the drive wheel 22 in the front-backward direction on the underside of the device main body 21. The rear wheel 24 is arranged at a position behind the drive wheel 22 in the front-backward direction on the underside of the device main body 21. The total of four front wheels 23 and rear wheels 24 are free-wheeling wheels whose traveling directions are variable. The front wheels 23 and the rear wheels 24 are driven to rotate according to the rotating state of each of the drive wheels 22. For example, the distance between the left and right wheels, i.e., the tread width, is largest at the drive wheels 22, smallest at the front wheels 23, and intermediate at the rear wheels 24. Since the tread width of the drive wheels 22 is largest, excellent steering performance of the traveling device 20 is ensured.

[0040] The travel control section 25 is a microcomputer comprising CPU, ROM, RAM, and various interfaces as main components. The travel control section 25 executes various programs (not shown) and thereby comprehensively controls the operation of the travel device 20 (specifically, operations such as driving, stopping, and rotation directions of the travel motor).

[0041] In addition, as in Fig. 1, the travel control section 25 communicates with the management device 8. Thus, the travel control section 25 can control the travel of the traveling device 20 according to the conveyance path and the transportation destination specified by the transportation plan by communicating with the management device 8. Further, the travel control section 25 can communicate with the carriage control section 16 in a state where the carriage 10 and the traveling device 20 are coupled to each other. Thereby, the carriage control section 16 can obtain various information related to the travel (movement), including the positions of the feeder transportation vehicle VF and the roller transportation vehicle VR, and the like, from the travel control section 25.

[0042] Here, for example, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) can be used as the driving device 20. In this case, the driving device 20 is provided with a belt detection section that has a path indicator belt (see Fig. 1) provided on the floor surface of the production line PL corresponding to the conveying path and the conveying destination, and outputs the detection result to the travel control section 25. Consequently, the travel control section 25 controls a control amount of the drive wheels 22 (the travel motor) according to the detection result output from the belt detection section, and causes the traveling device 20 to travel along the conveying path or stop at the conveying destination. The belt detection section is arranged at a front position and a rear position in the front-rear direction on the center line on the underside of the device main body 21. In addition, a magnetic indicator tape or an optical indicator tape can be used as the path indicator tape.

[0043] As mentioned above, the traveling device 20 travels autonomously under the control of the traveling control section 25. Furthermore, by operating the operation panel 26, which is arranged on the rear side of the upper surface of the device main body 21, manual operation of some operations of the traveling device 20 is possible. Specifically, by operating the operation panel 26, for example, in the case of a stop due to an error related to the movement of the traveling device 20 (e.g., an abnormality such as a trajectory deviation or a stop position deviation), that is, in the case of a so-called error stop, the error can be corrected or an emergency stop of the traveling device 20 can be performed. 2-5. Detection Section 30

[0044] The detection section 30 detects that the conveyor F (roller R or the like), which is an article, has been attached or removed with respect to the magazine M (rack T or the like), which is a housing arranged on the support section of the carriage 10, ie, the loading / unloading section 17, during the transport of the transport object C. In particular, as shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the detecting portion 30 of the present embodiment is disposed on the upper surface of the loading platform 11 on the rear side in the front-rear direction of the carriage 10.

[0045] More precisely, as in Fig. 2, the detecting section 30 of the present embodiment is disposed on the upper surface of the loading platform 11 so as to be located near the opening portion M1 of the magazine M held by the loading / unloading section 17. Thereby, the detecting section 30 of the present embodiment detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F, which is an article, at the opening M1 of the magazine M, that is, it detects that the conveyor F has been inserted or removed through the opening M1 (the article has been attached or removed).

[0046] Then, as in Fig. As shown in Fig. 4, in a case where the detecting section 30 detects that the conveyor F has been inserted into or removed from the magazine M, the detecting section 30 outputs the detection result S to the determining section 161 of the carriage control section 16. When the detecting section 30 detects the presence of the conveyor F at the opening section M1, the determining section 161 determines that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F has been performed.

[0047] The detection section 30 detects the insertion or removal of the conveyor F, which is an article, based on an electromagnetically measurable physical quantity. Therefore, in the present embodiment, for example, a detection section 30 is shown that includes a photoelectric sensor that uses light, which is an electromagnetic wave.

[0048] As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the detection section 30 of the present embodiment includes a light emitting section 31 and a light receiving section 32. When the light emitted from the light emitting section 31 toward the light receiving section 32 is received by the light receiving section 32, the detection section 30 does not output a detection result S because the emitted light is not obstructed, that is, because the conveyor F is not present at the opening section M1 and no insertion or removal of the conveyor F occurs.

[0049] On the other hand, in a case where the light emitted from the light emitting section 31 to the light receiving section 32 is not received by the light receiving section 32, or in a case where the light is not received by the light receiving section 32 for a light shading time that can be set in advance based on the time required for inserting or removing the conveyor F because the emitted light is obstructed, that is, because the conveyor F is present at the opening M1 and the insertion or removal of the conveyor F is performed, the detecting section 30 outputs the detection result S. A situation where the light receiving section 32 cannot receive light beyond the light shading time is caused, for example, by problems such as misalignment of the conveyor F with respect to the magazine M (e.g.,Deviation of the conveyor F) due to vibrations during travel (movement) of the feed transport vehicle VF is assumed. In this case, the detection section 30 also outputs the detection result S to the carriage control section 16.

[0050] Here, the determination section 161 determines that the attachment or removal of the conveyor F is completed when the detection of the presence of the conveyor F by the detection section 30 is not continued for a predetermined time (for example, the light shading time, which can be appropriately set as mentioned above) or longer after the determination that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F has been performed. The carriage control section 16 and the travel control section 25 cooperate to continue the transportation of the transportation object C when the determination section 161 determines that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F is completed.

[0051] On the other hand, the determining section 161 determines that the attachment or removal of the conveyor F is not completed, for example, in a case where the detection of the presence of the conveyor F by the detecting section 30 continues for the predetermined time or longer due to the above-mentioned deviation of the conveyor F or the like. The carriage control section 16 and the travel control section 25 cooperate to stop the transportation of the transportation object C when the determining section 161 determines that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F is not completed. This can prevent the conveyor F from falling out of the magazine M during transportation by the infeed transportation vehicle VF.

[0052] In addition, in a case where the determining section 161 determines that the insertion or removal of the conveyor F has been performed as in Fig. 4, the carriage control section 16 outputs, through communication, notification information J indicating that the insertion or removal of the conveyor F into the transportation has been performed to the management control device 8 installed outside. That is, when the determination section 161 determines the attachment or removal of the conveyor F, which is an article in transportation of the transportation object C, the carriage control section 16 can output the notification information J regarding the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F to the management device 8.

[0053] Here, in a case where the management device 8 receives notification information J from the carriage control section 16 of the infeed transport vehicle VF, the management device 8 issues a notification (or warning) to the worker, the manager, or the like using a notification device. That is, the notification device notifies that the conveyor F has been inserted into or removed from the magazine M during transportation to the buffer station 5 by the infeed transport vehicle VF, for example. Examples of the notification device include a display device provided in the management device 8, a display device provided on the production line PL, a mobile terminal worn by the worker, and a voice speaker.

[0054] As can be seen from the above description, the feed transport vehicle VF (roller transport vehicle VR) as the autonomous transport vehicle of the present embodiment is an autonomous transport vehicle capable of transporting transport objects C including the conveyor F (roller R) as an article used in the buffer station 5, the component mounter 6 which is a circuit board processing machine, and the magazine M (rack T) as a container that detachably holds the conveyor F (roller R). The autonomous transport vehicle includes the carriage 10 constituting the main body, the loading / unloading section 17 as a support section provided in the carriage 10 and supporting the magazine M (rack T), the detection section 30 provided in the carriage 10 and detecting the presence state of the conveyor F (roller R) with respect to the magazine M (rack T) when transporting the transport object C, and the determination section 161.which determines, on the basis of the detection result S by the detection section 30, whether the conveyor F (roller R) has been attached to or removed from the magazine M (frame T).

[0055] With the feed transport vehicle VF and the roller transport vehicle VR, the detection section 30 can promptly detect the insertion or removal of the conveyor F into or from the magazine M and the attachment or removal of the roller R to or from the rack T during the transport of the transport object C. With the feed transport vehicle VF and the roller transport vehicle VR, in a case where the determination section 161 determines, based on the detection result S by the detection section 30, that the conveyor F has been inserted into or removed from the magazine M and the roller R has been attached to or removed from the rack T, notification information J can be output to the management device 8 and the like, and the worker, the manager, or the like can be promptly notified.As a result, even in a case where, for example, the conveyor F has been inserted into or removed from the magazine M and the roller R has been attached to or removed from the frame T, the occurrence of a shortage or the like of components required for production can be suppressed during the transportation of the transportation object C, thereby minimizing the impact on production. 3. First modification example

[0056] In the above-mentioned embodiment, a case was illustrated where the detection section 30 detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F, which is an article, at the opening M1 of the magazine M, which is a housing held by the loading platform 11 of the carriage 10. In this case, the determination section 161 determines that the insertion or removal of the conveyor F through the opening portion M1 of the magazine M was performed during the transportation of the transportation object C by the feeder transportation vehicle VF, which is an autonomous transportation vehicle. As a result, the carriage control section 16 can output notification information J to the management device 8.

[0057] On the other hand, when the insertion or removal of a conveyor F not included in the transportation plan has been performed, including the attachment or removal of the conveyor F (roller R) to or from the predetermined magazine M (rack T) and the attachment or removal of the magazine M (rack T) to or from the loading / unloading section 17, it is advantageous if the inserted or removed conveyor F can be specified. That is, when the insertion or removal of a conveyor F not included in the transportation plan, i.e., an unspecified conveyor F, has been performed, it is advantageous if the inserted or removed conveyor F, i.e., the component in which a defect is expected, can be specified, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the impact of the component defect on production.Since the position of the conveyor F to be inserted into the magazine M is determined in advance by the transport plan, it is advantageous if the position of the inserted or removed conveyor F with respect to the magazine M can be detected.

[0058] In this context, in the first modification example, as shown in Fig. 5, the detecting section 30 is arranged on the loading platform 11 of the carriage 10 to be located below the conveyor F, which is an article, through the slot M3, which is a gap provided in the bottom surface M2 of the magazine M, which is a housing supported by the loading / unloading section 17, which is a support section (see also Fig. 7). More precisely, as in Fig. 6, the detecting portion 30 of the first modification example is disposed on the lower surface of the drive roller 172 located at the rear with respect to the main roller 171 of the loading / unloading portion 17, and is arranged to be aligned with the forming position of the slit M3 in a state where the magazine M is held, for example, to coincide with the gap between the drive rollers 172 formed in the front-back direction.

[0059] A plurality of detection sections 30 of the first modification example are arranged according to the widths (pitches) of the conveyors F housed in the magazine M to detect the presence or absence state of the conveyors F with respect to the magazine M. That is, the detection section 30 of the first modification example is provided in a one-to-one relationship with the conveyor F housed in the magazine M.

[0060] Similar to the detection section 30 of the above-mentioned embodiment, the detection section 30 of the first modification also includes a photoelectric sensor that uses light, which is an electromagnetic wave. However, as shown in Fig. 7, each detection section 30 of the first modification example includes a light emitting section 33 and a light receiving section 34. Thus, in the detection section 30 disposed at a position where the conveyor F is accommodated in the magazine M, when the light emitting section 33 emits light upward, the light is reflected at the bottom of the accommodated conveyor F (i.e., inside the magazine M), and the reflected light is received by the light receiving section 34. On the other hand, in the detection section 30 disposed at a position where the conveyor F is not accommodated in the magazine M (i.e., the conveyor F is not present inside the magazine M), no reflected light is generated even if the light emitting section 33 emits light upward, and thus the light receiving section 34 does not receive any reflected light.

[0061] Therefore, for example, in a case where a state in which the light receiving section 34 of the detecting section 30 receives the reflected light is changed to a state in which the light receiving section 34 cannot receive the reflected light when the conveyance object C is conveyed by the feed conveyance vehicle VF, the determining section 161 of the first modified example outputs the detection result S because the conveyor F has been detached (removed) from the magazine M. For example, when a state in which the light receiving section 34 does not receive the reflected light is changed to a state in which the light receiving section 34 receives the reflected light, the determining section 161 outputs the detection result S because the conveyor F has been accommodated (inserted) in the magazine M.Here, in the first modification example, the detection section 30 outputs the detection result S in association with identification information (an identification number or the like) for identifying the detection section 30.

[0062] In addition, for example, in a case where a state in which the light receiving section 34 receives the reflected light does not change until loading or unloading is performed at the delivery position (transportation destination) in the transportation plan, the determination section 161 of the first modification example does not output a detection result S when the transportation object C is transported by the feed transport vehicle VF because the conveyor F is not separated (not removed) from the magazine M. Further, for example, in a case where a state in which the light receiving section 34 does not receive the reflected light does not change until loading or unloading is performed at the delivery position (transportation destination), the determination section 161 does not output a detection result S because the conveyor F is not accommodated (not inserted) in the magazine M.

[0063] That is, the determination section 161 of the first modification example determines that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F has been performed based on the switching of the presence or absence state of the conveyor F detected by the detection section 30, specifically, the change of the detection result S occurring in a state where the light receiving section 34 receives the reflected light or in a state where the light receiving section 34 does not receive the reflected light.In the first modification example, in a case where the determination section 161 determines the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F based on the detection result S by the detection section 30, the carriage control section 16 outputs notification information J indicating that the insertion or removal of the conveyor F was performed in the transportation of the transportation object C and the identification information (identification number) of the detection section 30 for specifying the inserted or removed conveyor F to the management device 8 by communication.That is, in a case where the detecting section 30 of the first modification example detects the attachment or removal of the conveyor F which is an article in the transportation of the transportation object C, the fact that the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) has been performed and the position of the conveyor F which is the inserted or removed (attached or removed) article with respect to the magazine M can be output to the management device 8 as notification information J regarding the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the detected conveyor F.

[0064] Here, in the first modification example, in a case where the management device 8 receives the notification information J from the carriage control section 16 of the supply transport vehicle VF, the management device 8 also issues a notification (or warning) to the worker, the manager, or the like using the notification device. However, in the first modification example, for example, during transportation to the buffer station 5 by the supply transport vehicle VF, in addition to the notification of the insertion or removal of the conveyor F into or from the magazine M, the notification of the position of the conveyor F accommodated (inserted) in the magazine M or removed (removed) from the magazine M is also provided.Therefore, in the first modification example, in addition to achieving the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to detect the position of the inserted or removed conveyor F (the position of the attached or removed article). This allows, for example, the worker, manager, or the like to quickly determine the component for which a shortage is predicted, enabling faster responses such as replenishment, thus further reducing the impact on production. 4. Second modification example

[0065] In the above-mentioned embodiment and the first modification example, a case was illustrated where the detecting section 30 detects the insertion or removal (attachment or removal) of the conveyor F, which is an object, based on an electromagnetically measurable physical quantity. When the conveyor F, which is housed in the magazine M, which is a casing or a roller R arranged on the frame T, is inserted or removed (attached or removed), the state of the magazine M or the frame T changes.

[0066] For example, the conveyor F and the roller R have a certain weight. Therefore, when the conveyor F is inserted into or removed from the magazine M, the weight of the magazine M supported by the loading / unloading section 17, which is a support section, and the weight of the conveyor F accommodated in the magazine M, that is, the weight of the transported object C, change. Similarly, when the roller R is attached to or removed from the frame T, the weight of the frame T supported by the loading / unloading section 17 and the weight of the roller R arranged on the frame T, that is, the weight of the transported object C, change.

[0067] In this context, the detection section 30 in the second modification example detects a measurable physical quantity related to a change in the state of the magazine M or the rack T, which is a housing. Then, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R, which is an article, based on a change in the physical quantity detected by the detection section 30. Specifically, the detection section 30 of the second modification example measures, as the physical quantity, the weight of the magazine M or the rack T that changes when the conveyor F or the roller R is attached or removed (inserted or removed), that is, the weight of the transported object C.

[0068] In the second modification example, as in Fig. As shown in Fig. 8, the detection section 30 is provided on the loading platform 11 of the carriage 10 to be arranged at the bottom of the magazine M or the rack T, which is a housing held by the loading / unloading section 17, which is a support section. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the detecting portion 30 of the second modification example is arranged on the back of the loading platform 11 in the front-back direction and arranged between the bottom of the supported magazine M or rack T and the upper surface of the loading platform 11, that is, arranged so as to be sandwiched between the bottom of the magazine M or rack T and the upper surface of the loading platform 11.

[0069] The detection section 30 of the second modification example measures the measurable weight related to the state change of the magazine M or the rack T, as mentioned above. Here, the detection section 30 of the second modification example includes a piezoelectric element that converts a pressure generated between the magazine M or the rack T and the loading platform 11 into an electrical signal. The pressure converted into the electrical signal and output can be easily converted into weight by multiplying the area of ​​the bottom surface of the magazine M or the rack T.

[0070] In a case where the detecting section 30 measures the weight using the piezoelectric element, the magazine M or the rack T supported by the loading / unloading section 17 is not displaced in the up-down direction. Therefore, even in the second modification example in which the detecting section 30 measures the weight of the transported object C, there is no interference with the loading / unloading operation of the magazine M or the rack T by the loading / unloading section 17. In the case of measuring the weight of the transported object C, for example, using a typical scale or the like, the transported object C held by the loading / unloading section 17 needs to be displaced in the up-down direction during the weight measurement.Therefore, for example, when the loading / unloading section 17 loads or unloads the magazine M or the rack T at the buffer station 5, a difference may occur between the height of the loading / unloading section 17 and the height of the buffer station 5, which may result in the loading or unloading not being able to be performed and an error stop occurring.

[0071] The determination section 161 of the second modification example determines that, for example, in a case where the measured weight increases or decreases to a reference weight or more with respect to the reference weight determined based on the weight of a conveyor F or a roller R, the conveyor F or the roller R has been attached or removed (inserted or removed) during the transportation of the transportation object C by the supply transportation vehicle VF. In addition, in the determination section 161 of the second modification example, it is determined that the conveyor F or the roller R has not been attached or removed (inserted or removed) when the measured weight does not change until loading or unloading at the delivery position (transportation destination) during the transportation of the transportation object C by the supply transportation vehicle VF. As in Fig. 9, in a case where the detecting section 30 is arranged on the left and right sides, it can be considered that the insertion or removal of the conveyor F was performed particularly on the right side or the left side with respect to the magazine M, even if it is not possible to specify an exact position.

[0072] Therefore, in the second modification example, in a case where the determination section 161 determines, based on the detection result S by the detection section 30, that the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F (roller R) has been performed, the carriage control section 16 also outputs notification information J indicating that the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roll R in the transportation of the transportation object C has been performed to the management device 8 through communication. Here, in the second modification example, in a case where the management device 8 receives the notification information J from the carriage control section 16 of the feeder transportation vehicle VF, the management device 8 also outputs a notification (or warning) to the worker, the manager, or the like using the guidance device.That is, in the second modification example, for example, the fact that the conveyor F has been inserted into or removed from the magazine M is also reported during transportation to the buffer station 5 by the feed transport vehicle VF. Accordingly, in the second modification example, the same effect as in the above-mentioned embodiment can be achieved.

[0073] In the above-mentioned second modification example, two detection sections 30 are provided, enabling, for example, the detection of weight changes on the left and right sides of the magazine M or the averaging of the detected weight. However, the number of detection sections 30 of the second modification example is not limited and may be one or three or more. In addition, in the above-mentioned second modification example, as shown in Fig. 9, the detection section 30 is arranged on the back of the loading platform 11 in the front-back direction. However, the arrangement of the detection section 30 of the second modification example is not limited to the back of the loading platform 11 in the front-back direction, and the detection section 30 may also be arranged in the center of the loading platform 11 in the front-back direction, as shown by a one-dot chain line in the Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. That is, the arrangement of the detecting section 30 can be appropriately changed according to the shape of the magazine M or the frame T. 5. Third modification example

[0074] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the first modification example, and the second modification example, a case was illustrated in which the detecting section 30 always detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F or the roller R, which are an article, when the magazine M or the rack T, which are the transport object C, is transported, and the determining section 161 always determines whether the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R has been performed. However, the detecting section 30 and the determining section 161 are not limited to always detecting the presence or absence state of the conveyor F or the roller R, which are an article, and always determining whether the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) has been performed as mentioned above.That is, for example, when a predetermined condition has occurred, the detecting section 30 and the determining section 161 can also detect the presence or absence of the conveyor F or the roller R and determine whether the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) has been performed. A third modification example will be described below.

[0075] The detection section 30 of the third modification example detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F or the roller R in a case where the predetermined state has occurred in the transportation of the transport object C. In addition, the determination section 161 of the third modification example determines whether the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R has been performed when a predetermined state has occurred in the transportation of the transport object C. Here, in the third modification example, as in Fig. 10, in a case where the predetermined condition has occurred, the determining section 161 outputs a detection command D to cause the detecting section 30 to detect the presence state of the article, specifically, the presence state of the conveyor F (the reel R) with respect to the magazine M (the rack T).

[0076] Here, the predetermined state includes, for example, a state in which attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R not included in the above-mentioned transportation plan, that is, unintentional conveyors F or rollers R, is possible. Specifically, in a state in which the infeed transportation vehicle VF and the roller transportation vehicle VR are inadvertently stopped at a position other than the transportation destination on the conveyor track, the conveyor F or the roller R can be easily attached to or detached (insertion or removal) from the magazine M or the frame T, compared with a state in which the infeed transportation vehicle VF or the roller transportation vehicle VR is traveling (moving).

[0077] Therefore, for example, the determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30 at a predetermined position on the conveyor track during the transport of the transport object C or at a periodic time during the transport of the transport object C. Consequently, the detection section 30 detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F or the roller R at the predetermined position on the conveyor track or at the periodic time and outputs the detection result S to the determination section 161 (carriage control section 16). Then, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R based on the obtained detection result S at the predetermined position on the conveyor track or at the periodic time.The carriage control section 16, which includes the determination section 161, acquires the predetermined transportation plan and acquires the state of the feed transportation vehicle VF or the roller transportation vehicle VR based on various information obtained from the travel control section 25.

[0078] Here, in the third modification, a case is illustrated where the detecting section 30 detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F or the roller R at the predetermined position on the conveying path or at the periodic timing, and the determining section 161 determines the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R. However, for example, the detecting section 30 may always detect the presence state of the conveyor F or the roller R when conveying the conveyance object C, and only the determining section 161 can determine the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R at the predetermined position on the conveying path or at the periodic timing. That is, in this case, the determining section 161 does not output a detection command D to the detecting section 30.

[0079] Alternatively, the determination section 161 may always determine the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R during the transportation of the transportation object C, for example, based on the detection result S that does not change for a certain period of time, and only the detection section 30 may detect the presence or absence of the conveyor F or the roller R at the predetermined position on the conveyor path or at the periodic timing. That is, in this case, when the detection command D is issued to the detection section 30 at the predetermined position or at the periodic timing, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R based on the updated detection result S.

[0080] Furthermore, examples of the predetermined state include a state of recovery after the occurrence of an above-mentioned abnormality (error) in the transportation of the transportation object C. In this case, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R, which are an article, as a predetermined state, specifically, in a first state in which an abnormality (error) has occurred and in a second state in which recovery from the abnormality (error) has been performed. The signals such as the error stop are summarized in the carriage control section 16.

[0081] The determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30, for example, in a case where the carriage control section 16 determines that the first state has occurred. Consequently, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the article, such as the conveyor F or the reel R, based on a state where an abnormality (error) has occurred, in other words, based on the detection result S before the abnormality (error) is resolved. Furthermore, the determination section 161 outputs a detection command D to the detection section 30, for example, in a case where the carriage control section 16 determines that the second state has occurred.As a result, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the article such as the conveyor F or the roller R based on the detection result S after the recovery from the abnormality (error).

[0082] That is, the determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30 when the first state in which an abnormality (error) occurred and the second state in which the abnormality (error) recovery was performed have occurred, that is, before and after the abnormality (error) recovery, as a predetermined state. As a result, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the article, such as the conveyor F or the roller R, based on a change in the detection result S of the detection section 30 before and after the abnormality (error) recovery.

[0083] Further, examples of the predetermined state include a state in which the conveyance C is delivered. In this case, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R, which are one article, as a predetermined state in a third state before the conveyance C is delivered from the infeed conveyance vehicle VF or roller conveyance vehicle VR to the buffer station 5, and a fourth state after the conveyance C is delivered from the buffer station 5 to the infeed conveyance vehicle VF or roller conveyance vehicle VR. As mentioned above, the carriage control section 16 controls the loading or unloading of the conveyance C by the loading / unloading section 17, that is, the delivery of the conveyance C with respect to the blank processing machine.

[0084] The determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30, for example, in a case where the carriage control section 16 determines that the third state has occurred. Consequently, the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the article, such as the conveyor F or the roller R, based on the detection result S before the delivery of the transport object C. In addition, the determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30, for example, in a case where the carriage control section 16 determines that the fourth state has occurred. Consequently, the determination section 161 detects the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the article, such as the conveyor F or the roller R, based on the detection result S after the delivery of the transport object C.

[0085] That is, the determination section 161 outputs the detection command D to the detection section 30 when the third state has occurred before the delivery of the transport object C and the fourth state has occurred after the delivery of the transport object C, that is, before and after the delivery of the transport object C as a predetermined state. As a result, the detection section 30 detects the presence or absence state of the conveyor F with respect to the magazine M or the presence or absence state of the roll R with respect to the rack T before and after the delivery of the transport object C, and the determination section 161 determines the attachment or detachment (insertion or removal) of the article such as the conveyor F or the roll R based on a change in the detection result S of the detection section 30 before and after the delivery of the transport object C.

[0086] Therefore, in the third modification example, it is possible to focus on determining, that is, monitoring, the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R, particularly in the predetermined state in which the attachment or removal (insertion or removal) of the conveyor F or the roller R is likely. As for other effects, the same effects as in the embodiment, the first modification example, and the second modification example can be achieved. List of reference symbols

[0087] 1: Warehouse, 1a: Entrance / Exit, 2: Offline setup area, 3: Automatic strip processing device, 4: Roll loading device, 5: Buffer station (PCB processing machine), 6: Component placer (PCB processing machine), 7: Loader, 8: Management device, 10: Carriage (main body), 11: Loading platform, 12: Side surface section, 13: Leg section, 14: Front wheel, 15: Rear wheel, 16: Carriage control section, 161: Determination section, 17: Loading / unloading section (support section), 171: Main roller, 172: Drive roller, 173: Guide roller, 174: Locking mechanism, 175: Locking hook, 176: Operation panel, 20: Traveling device, 21: Device main body, 22: Drive wheel, 23: Front wheel, 24: Rear wheel, 25: Driving control section, 26: Control panel, 30: Detection section, 31: Light emitting section, 32: Light receiving section, 33: Light emitting section, 34: Light receiving section, S: Production line, VR: Roller transport vehicle (autonomous transport vehicle),VF: Feed transport vehicle (autonomous transport vehicle), C: Transport object, T: Rack (housing), R: Tape reel (item), M: Magazine (housing), F: Belt conveyor (item), S: Detection result, J: Notification information, D: Detection command, QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] WO 2021 / 144866

[0003] JP-A-2015-220304

[0003]

Claims

[1] An autonomous transport vehicle capable of transporting a transport object comprising an article used in a blank processing machine and a housing configured to releasably hold the article, the autonomous transport vehicle comprising: a main body; a support portion provided on the main body and configured to support the housing; a detection section provided on the main body and configured to detect a presence or absence state of the article with respect to the housing when transporting the transport object; and a determining section configured to determine whether the attachment or removal of the article with respect to the housing has been performed based on a detection result by the detecting section. [2] Autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detecting portion detects the presence or absence of the article at an opening portion for attaching or removing the article to or from the housing held by the supporting portion, and the determining section determines that the attachment or removal of the article has been carried out when the detecting section detects the presence of the article. [3] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the determining section determines that the attachment or removal of the article is completed when the detection of the presence of the article by the detecting section does not continue for a predetermined time or more after the determination that the attachment or removal of the article has been performed, and determines that the attachment or removal of the article is not completed when the detection of the presence of the article by the detecting section continues for the predetermined time or more. [4] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the transport of the transport object is continued when the determining section determines that the attachment or removal of the article is completed, and the transport of the transport object is stopped when the determining section determines that the attachment or removal of the article is not completed. [5] Autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is arranged below the article through a slot provided in a bottom surface of the housing supported by the supporting portion and detects the presence or absence state of the article, and the determining section determines that the attachment or removal of the article has been performed based on the switching of the presence or absence state of the article by the detecting section. [6] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the detecting section detects a position at which the article has been attached or removed with respect to the housing. [7] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detecting section detects a measurable physical quantity related to a change in the state of the housing, and the determining section determines the attachment or removal of the object based on a change in the physical quantity detected by the detecting section. [8] Autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the physical quantity is a weight of the transport object. [9] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the determination section determines that the attachment or removal of the article has been performed, notification information regarding the attachment or removal of the article is output to a management device configured to manage the transportation of the transportation object. [10] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the determining section determines attachment or removal of an article not included in a transport plan including attachment or removal of the article with respect to a predetermined case and attachment or removal of the case with respect to the support section, with respect to the predetermined case. [11] An autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the steps of detecting the presence or absence state of the article by the detecting section and determining the attachment or removal of the article by the determining section is performed at a predetermined position during the transportation of the transport object or at a periodic time during the transportation of the transport object. [12] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 10, wherein, in a case where an abnormality has occurred in the transportation of the transport object, the determining section determines the attachment or removal of the article based on a change in the detection result of the detecting section before and after the recovery of the abnormality. [13] The autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detecting section detects the presence or absence state of the article with respect to the housing before and after the delivery of the transport object. [14] Autonomous transport vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the article is a conveyor configured to feed a component to the board processing machine, the housing is a magazine into which several conveyors can be inserted and removed, and the detection section detects the insertion or removal of the conveyor into or from the magazine during transport of the transport object.

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