Transport vehicle

Abstract

To provide a transport vehicle that can suppress lateral shaking of a suspended container and can minimize wear of a mechanism for suppressing the lateral shaking due to contact with the container.SOLUTION: A transport vehicle that transports a container (7) in a suspended state is equipped with a lateral vibration suppression device (60) that abuts against an outer surface (71a) of the suspended container (7) to suppress lateral vibration of the container (7). The lateral vibration suppression device (60) is equipped with a rotatable abutment roller (62) that abuts against the outer surface (71a) of the container. A groove (62G) that extends continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of the outer circumferential surface (62a) of the abutment roller (62) that corresponds to a convex portion (71P) of the container (7).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in semiconductor manufacturing plants and the like, transport vehicles are used to transport containers that house wafers, reticles, and the like. One example of such a transport vehicle is disclosed in JP 2017-88332 A (Patent Document 1). The transport vehicle (ceiling transport vehicle 1) of Patent Document 1 is configured to run along rails installed on the ceiling, and transports a container (FOUP 50) while holding it in a suspended state. In addition, the transport vehicle of Patent Document 1 is equipped with a lateral vibration suppression device (vibration suppression device 30) for suppressing the lateral vibration of the suspended container during transportation.

[0003] As shown in Figs. 4 to 10 of Patent Document 1, the lateral vibration suppression device includes an arm mechanism (first arm 32, second arm 34) and a contact mechanism (biasing member 36, pressing mechanism 37, rotating unit 40, regulating units 42a, 42b) provided on the arm mechanism. The lateral vibration suppression device is configured such that the contact mechanism switches between a state in which it contacts the lower side surface of the container and a state in which it is separated from the side surface as the posture of the arm mechanism changes. The contact mechanism is configured such that the rotating unit 40 rotates in response to the shaking of the container in the width direction, and the regulating units 42a, 42b regulate the rotating unit 40 when it is about to rotate by a predetermined angle or more.

[0004] Thus, in the lateral vibration suppression device of Patent Document 1, the rotating part 40 abuts against the side of the container to suppress the vibration of the container, but as described in paragraph 0036 of Patent Document 1, the rotating part 40 is made of a material such as urethane. For this reason, depending on the shape of the side of the container, wear may occur in the rotating part 40, which may cause the generation of dust, etc. However, Patent Document 1 does not give any particular consideration to such wear of the rotating part 40. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-88332 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] It is therefore desirable to realize a transport vehicle that can suppress the lateral shaking of a suspended container and that can minimize wear on the mechanism for suppressing the lateral shaking due to contact with the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The transport vehicle according to the present disclosure includes: A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface of the contact roller that corresponds to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and that protrudes outward compared to other adjacent portions at least on either the top or bottom.

[0008] According to this configuration, the abutment roller that abuts against the outer surface of the container is provided rotatably, so that the container held in a suspended state can be prevented from swaying sideways during transport. In this case, if there is a convex portion on the outer surface of the container, there is a concern that the outer peripheral surface of the abutment roller will come into contact with the convex portion and wear locally, but since a groove that extends continuously around the entire circumference is formed in the area corresponding to the convex portion, the abutment roller does not come into contact with the convex portion of the container. Therefore, the amount of dust and the like generated by the wear of the abutment roller can be kept low. As a result, the lateral swing of the container held in a suspended state can be prevented, and the wear of the abutment roller due to contact with the container can be kept low, and the amount of dust and the like generated can be kept low.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the techniques disclosed herein will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] Front view of the transport vehicle [Diagram 3] Side view of the transport vehicle [Figure 4] Front view of the container [Diagram 5] Side view of the container [Figure 6] Plan view of the holding device [Figure 7] Front view of the holding device [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a change in the position of the support portion and the shielding member; [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the attitude change of the fall prevention device and the lateral vibration suppression device; [Figure 10] Side view of the fall prevention device and lateral sway suppression device DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] An embodiment of a transport vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. The transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is used to transport a container 7 in, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing factory. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the transport vehicle 1 includes a running section 2 that runs along a movement path, and a transfer mechanism 3 connected to the running section 2. In this embodiment, the movement path of the transport vehicle 1 is physically formed by a rail 92 suspended and supported from a ceiling 91. That is, the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a ceiling transport vehicle that moves along the rail 92 formed along the ceiling 91. The transport vehicle 1 transports the container 7 in a suspended state.

[0012] The traveling unit 2 travels along a pair of rails 92. The traveling unit 2 includes a vehicle body 21, a traveling drive unit 22, wheels 23, and guide wheels 24. The vehicle body 21 supports the traveling drive unit 22, the wheels 23, the guide wheels 24, and the like. The traveling drive unit 22 includes an electric motor such as a servo motor, and drives at least one wheel 23. The wheel 23 rolls on the upper surface of the rails 92. The wheel 23 drivingly connected to the traveling drive unit 22 functions as a drive wheel. The guide wheel 24 rolls on the inner surface of the rails 92. The traveling unit 2 travels along the rails 92 with the guide wheel 24 in contact with and guided by the inner surface of the rail 92.

[0013] In the following description, the direction along the extension direction of the rails 92, which is the direction in which the traveling part 2 travels, is referred to as the front-rear direction X of the transport vehicle 1. Moreover, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction X and along the arrangement direction of the pair of rails 92 is referred to as the width direction Y of the transport vehicle 1. Moreover, the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y is referred to as the up-down direction Z. Note that each of these directions is based on the transport vehicle 1, and the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y may differ depending on the position of the transport vehicle 1 along the travel route when viewed from a fixed point in the facility.

[0014] The transfer mechanism 3 is disposed below the rail 92 and is connected to the traveling section 2. The transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding device 30, a lifting device 40, and a cover body 45. The transfer mechanism 3 of this embodiment further includes a drop restriction device 50 and a lateral sway suppression device 60.

[0015] The holding device 30 is a device for holding the container 7. The lifting device 40 is a device for raising and lowering the holding device 30. The lifting device 40 raises and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position shown by a virtual line in FIG. 2 and a lowered position shown by a solid line. The cover body 45 houses the lifting device 40 and the holding device 30 in the elevated position. The internal space of the cover body 45 is sealed on both sides in the front-rear direction X and is open on at least one side (both sides in this example) in the width direction Y.

[0016] The fall prevention device 50 is a device for preventing the container 7 from falling when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. The lateral vibration suppression device 60 is a device for suppressing lateral vibration of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the fall prevention device 50 and the lateral vibration suppression device 60 are provided near the lower end of the cover body 45.

[0017] In the transport vehicle 1, for example, the traveling section 2 travels to the position of the target processing device 94 with the holding device 30 holding the container 7, and the lifting device 40 lowers the holding device 30 to the lowered position as shown in Fig. 2, thereby transporting the container 7 to the target processing device 94. Note that Fig. 2 shows an example in which the container 7 is placed on a placement table 95 arranged adjacent to the processing device 94, and the container 7 is supplied to the target processing device 94. The transport vehicle 1 can also carry out the container 7 from the processing device 94 after processing has been completed by performing the reverse operation to that described above.

[0018] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the container 7, which is an object to be transported by the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment, includes a bottom plate 71, a side wall 72, and an inclined top plate 73. These are integrally formed. The bottom plate 71 is a support plate provided at the lower end of the container 7, and is formed in a circular shape in this embodiment. The side wall 72 extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom plate 71, and is formed in a cylindrical shape having an opening 75 in this embodiment. The inclined top plate 73 is provided at the upper end of the side wall 72, and is formed in a circular shape similar to the bottom plate 71 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the inclined top plate 73 is provided non-parallel to the bottom plate 71, in other words, is inclined with respect to the bottom plate 71. The degree of inclination of the inclined top plate 73 with respect to the bottom plate 71 may be very slight, and the inclination angle may be, for example, 1° to 10°.

[0019] In this embodiment, a circumferential groove 71G is formed in the bottom plate 71. The circumferential groove 71G is formed so as to be recessed inward from the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71. In addition, the circumferential groove 71G in this embodiment is formed continuously around the entire circumference with a constant width and a constant depth. A portion of the bottom plate 71 below the circumferential groove 71G is a portion that protrudes radially outward compared to the bottom surface (surface facing in the radial direction) of the circumferential groove 71G. In the following description, this portion is referred to as a convex portion 71P in distinction from the outer surface 71a of the portion above the circumferential groove 71G in the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72. In this embodiment, the convex portion 71P is formed continuously around the entire circumference according to the formation mode of the circumferential groove 71G. In addition, the outer surface of the convex portion 71P is located on the same cylindrical surface as the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72.

[0020] In this embodiment, a recess 73E is formed on the outer edge side of the inclined top plate 73, recessed inward from the side wall 72. The recess 73E is formed at two different positions in the circumferential direction of the inclined top plate 73 (specifically, two positions diametrically opposite to each other across the center of the container 7). The container 7 is supported from below by the recess 73E on the outer edge side of the inclined top plate 73, by the support part 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1. More specifically, the container 7 is supported from below by a pair of recesses 73E formed on the outer edge side of the inclined top plate 73, by a pair of support parts 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1.

[0021] As described above, the container 7 of this embodiment has an opening 75 in the side wall 72. In this embodiment, the opening 75 includes a front opening 75a formed on the front side and a rear opening 75b formed on the back side. The front opening 75a has a wide opening, and is wider than at least the maximum width of the contained object 8. The rear opening 75b has a narrower opening than the front opening 75a, and is narrower than the maximum width of the contained object 8. In this embodiment, three rear openings 75b are formed side by side at a predetermined interval.

[0022] The object 8 contained in the container 7 is taken in and out through the front opening 75a. That is, of the openings 75 formed in the side wall 72, the front opening 75a is an opening for taking in and out the object 8. Examples of the object 8 include semiconductor wafers and reticles. The container 7 is configured to be able to hold a plurality of objects 8 arranged vertically. The container 7 of this embodiment does not have a lid for closing the opening 75, and an open cassette, for example, can be used.

[0023] Returning to the explanation of the transport vehicle 1, the holding device 30 constituting the transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding main body portion 31, a support portion 32, a holding drive portion 33, and a shielding member 36, as shown in FIGS.

[0024] The holding body 31 is a portion that serves as a base of the holding device 30. The holding body 31 supports the support part 32 and the shielding member 36 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction X. In addition, the holding body 31 supports the holding drive part 33 fixedly on the upper surface side thereof.

[0025] The support parts 32 support the recesses 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of support parts 32 is provided so as to simultaneously support a pair of recesses 73E located at different circumferential positions on the inclined top plate 73. The pair of support parts 32 are provided side by side in the front-rear direction X with a predetermined gap therebetween. The pair of support parts 32 are each configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction X, and are driven by the holding drive part 33 to move toward each other in the front-rear direction X or move away from each other in the front-rear direction X.

[0026] The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 is configured to include, for example, a holding electric motor and a mechanism (for example, a ball screw mechanism) that converts the rotation of the holding electric motor into a propulsive force in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in opposite directions to each other so as to move closer to each other in the front-rear direction X or move farther away from each other in the front-rear direction X. When the holding drive unit 33 includes a ball screw mechanism, the spiral direction of the screw shaft is formed to be opposite on one side and the other side in the front-rear direction X, so that the above-mentioned moving close to each other and moving farther away from each other can be achieved by using only a single holding electric motor.

[0027] The holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 closer to each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding posture in which they support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and hold the container 7. The holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 away from each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding release posture in which they are removed from the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and release the holding of the container 7. In this way, the holding drive unit 33 can change the posture of the pair of support parts 32 between the holding posture and the holding release posture.

[0028] The shielding members 36 partially cover the front opening 75a of the container 7 when the holding device 30 holds the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of shielding members 36 are provided so as to partially cover both areas of the front opening 75a of the container 7 in the front-rear direction X. The pair of shielding members 36 are configured to change their positions between a closed position and an open position. Here, the closed position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 36 at least partially face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed portion 73E of the inclined top plate 73. The open position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 36 do not face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed portion 73E of the inclined top plate 73.

[0029] In this embodiment, the shielding member 36 is integrally connected to the support bracket to which the support portion 32 is fixed. One of the pair of shielding members 36 is connected to one of the pair of support portions 32 via a first support bracket, and they are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The other of the pair of shielding members 36 is connected to the other of the pair of support portions 32 via a second support bracket, and they are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The pair of shielding members 36 are configured to be in a closed position when the pair of support portions 32 are in a holding position in conjunction with a change in the position of the pair of support portions 32, and to be in an open position when the pair of support portions 32 are in a holding release position. In the closed position, the pair of shielding members 36 prevent the contained object 8 from slipping out of the container 7.

[0030] The lifting device 40 lifts and lowers the holding device 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the lifting device 40 includes a lifting main body 41, a lifting drive unit 42, and a wire 43. The lifting main body 41 is a base of the lifting device 40. The lifting main body 41 supports the lifting drive unit 42 on its upper surface. The lifting drive unit 42 includes, for example, an electric motor for lifting and a winding unit that rotates integrally with the electric motor for lifting. One end of the wire 43 is connected to the winding unit that constitutes the lifting drive unit 42, and the other end is connected to the holding device 30. The lifting device 40 lifts and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position and a lowered position by driving the lifting drive unit 42 to wind or unwind the wire.

[0031] The fall prevention device 50 prevents the container 7 from falling when the holding device 30 in the raised position holds the container 7. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the fall prevention device 50 includes a fall prevention member 51 and an advance / retraction drive unit 53.

[0032] The fall prevention member 51 is a member that is disposed below the bottom surface (the lower surface of the bottom plate 71) of the container 7 and prevents the container 7 from falling. When the holding device 30 in the raised position holds the container 7, the fall prevention member 51 is disposed so that a part of the fall prevention member 51 can overlap with the container 7 in a vertical view, as shown in the lower part of FIG.

[0033] The fall prevention member 51 of this embodiment has a driven arm 51A, a parallel arm 51B, a first connecting arm 51C, and a second connecting arm 51D. The driven arm 51A is bent at an obtuse angle so as to have a long side portion and a short side portion when viewed in the up-down direction. The driven arm 51A is connected to a drive shaft 53B constituting the retracting drive unit 53 at a bent portion at the boundary between the long side portion and the short side portion. The driven arm 51A is driven by the retracting drive unit 53 and can rotate within a predetermined angle range. The parallel arm 51B is formed in the same shape as the driven arm 51A and is arranged parallel to the driven arm 51A at a position in the width direction Y different from the driven arm 51A. The parallel arm 51B is rotatably supported by the cover body 45 at a bent portion at the boundary between the long side portion and the short side portion.

[0034] The first connecting arm 51C is formed in a straight line when viewed in the up-down direction. The first connecting arm 51C connects one end (in this example, the tip of the long side) of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B to each other so that the angle can be freely changed. The second connecting arm 51D is formed in the same shape as the first connecting arm 51C and connects the other end (in this example, the tip of the short side) of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B to each other so that the angle can be freely changed. The first connecting arm 51C and the second connecting arm 51D are arranged parallel to each other.

[0035] The fall restricting member 51 is configured to change its posture between a retracted posture and a protruding posture. Here, the retracted posture is a posture in which the fall restricting member 51 retracts to a position that does not overlap the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in a vertical view, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 9. In this embodiment, in the retracted posture, the long side portion of the driven arm 51A, the long side portion of the parallel arm 51B, the first connecting arm 51C, and the second connecting arm 51D are all along the width direction Y. The protruding posture is a posture in which the fall restricting member 51 protrudes to a position that overlaps the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in a vertical view, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 9. In this embodiment, in the protruding posture, the long side portions of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B are along the front-rear direction X, and the first connecting arm 51C and the second connecting arm 51D are along the width direction Y. Then, a part of the first connecting arm 51C and a part of the parallel arm 51B overlap the container 7 in a vertical view.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 10, the advance / retract drive unit 53 includes an advance / retract electric motor 53A and a drive shaft 53B connected to the advance / retract electric motor 53A. The advance / retract electric motor 53A rotates the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angle range, thereby rotating the driven arm 51A connected to the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angle range. With the rotation of the driven arm 51A, the parallel arm 51B also rotates, and the first connecting arm 51C connected to the tip of the long side portion of each of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B advances and retreats in the front-rear direction X. As a result, the advance / retract drive unit 53 changes the position of the drop restriction member 51 between the protruding position and the retracted position. When the container 7 is about to fall for some reason in the protruding position, the drop restriction member 51 receives the container 7 and prevents the container 7 from falling.

[0037] The lateral vibration suppression device 60 suppresses lateral vibration of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holds the container 7. As shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, the lateral vibration suppression device 60 includes a support mechanism 61, a contact roller 62, a support drive unit 63, and a brake 65.

[0038] The support mechanism 61 supports the contact roller 62. The support mechanism 61 of this embodiment has a rotating arm assembly 61A, a support bracket 61B, and an interlocking arm 61C. The rotating arm assembly 61A has a base end arm 61Aa and a tip end arm 61Ab. The tip end arm 61Ab is rotatably connected to the base end arm 61Aa at its base end end, and is arranged to be stacked up and down with the base end arm 61Aa. The rotating arm assembly 61A is rotatably connected to a drive shaft 53B constituting the retraction drive unit 53 at the base end of the base end arm 61Aa. The rotating arm assembly 61A is integrally connected to the support bracket 61B at the tip of the tip end arm 61Ab. The contact roller 62 is rotatably supported by the support bracket 61B.

[0039] In this embodiment, a biasing member 61D is disposed between the base end arm 61Aa and the tip end arm 61Ab that constitute the rotating arm assembly 61A. The biasing member 61D is provided so as to apply a biasing force that tends to rotate the tip end arm 61Ab relative to the base end arm 61Aa. The biasing member 61D biases the tip end arm 61Ab so as to move it closer to the container 7 held by the holding device 30.

[0040] The interlocking arm 61C is rotatably connected to the second connecting arm 51D and the rotating arm assembly 61A (specifically, the tip arm 61Ab) that constitute the fall restriction member 51. The interlocking arm 61C plays a role in rotating the rotating arm assembly 61A about the position of the drive shaft 53B in response to the movement of the second connecting arm 51D.

[0041] The contact roller 62 is rotatably supported by the support mechanism 61 (specifically, the support bracket 61B). The contact roller 62 is arranged so as to be able to contact at least one of the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. In this embodiment, the contact roller 62 is arranged so as to be able to contact the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. In this embodiment, the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 corresponds to the "container outer surface". As shown in FIG. 10, when the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 (specifically, the central axis of the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71). In addition, in a state where the contact roller 62 is separated from the outer surface 71a of the container 7, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be non-parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7.

[0042] At least the outer circumferential surface 62a of the contact roller 62 is made of an elastic material. In this embodiment, the contact roller 62 is made of an elastic material at a portion (a doughnut-shaped portion) having a predetermined thickness on the radially outer side including the outer circumferential surface 62a. The specific material of the elastic member constituting the contact roller 62 is not particularly limited, but rubber materials such as urethane rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, butyl rubber, and chloroprene rubber can be used.

[0043] The contact roller 62 is configured to change its posture between a separated posture and a contact posture. Here, the separated posture is a posture in which the contact roller 62 is separated from both the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 9. In the separated posture, the contact roller 62 is disposed closer to the cover body 45 side in the front-rear direction X. In the contact posture, the contact roller 62 is in contact with at least one of the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 (the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 in this example), as shown in the lower part of FIG. In the contact posture, the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7 from the outside. The outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 is a cylindrical surface parallel to the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62.

[0044] In this embodiment, the support drive unit 63 is configured by utilizing the advance / retract drive unit 53, a part of the fall restriction member 51, and a part of the support mechanism 61. Specifically, the support drive unit 63 is configured by utilizing the advance / retract electric motor 53A, the drive shaft 53B, the driven arm 51A, the second connecting arm 51D, and the interlocking arm 61C.

[0045] As described above, the electric motor for entering and leaving 53A rotates the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angle range, thereby rotating the driven arm 51A connected to the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angle range. With the rotation of the driven arm 51A, the second connecting arm 51D connected to the driven arm 51A so as to be freely variable in angle and the interlocking arm 61C connected to the driven arm 51A so as to be freely variable in angle are displaced. With the displacement of the interlocking arm 61C, the rotating arm assembly 61A, the end of which on the opposite side to the contact roller 62 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 53B, swings around the position of the drive shaft 53B. As a result, the support drive unit 63 changes the position of the contact roller 62 between the contact position and the separated position.

[0046] In this embodiment, the extension / retraction drive unit 53 and the support drive unit 63 share the driving force source (i.e., the extension / retraction electric motor 53A) and part of the link mechanism (i.e., the driven arm 51A and the second connecting arm 51D). Therefore, the contact roller 62 changes its posture between the separated posture and the contact posture in conjunction with the posture change of the fall restriction member 51 between the retracted posture and the protruding posture. Specifically, the contact roller 62 is in the separated posture when the fall restriction member 51 is in the retracted posture, and is in the contact posture when the fall restriction member 51 is in the protruding posture.

[0047] As described above, the support mechanism 61 includes a biasing member 61D, and the action of this biasing member 61D biases the rotating arm assembly 61A (tip arm 61Ab) so as to approach the side of the container 7 held by the holding device 30. Therefore, the contact roller 62, which is rotatably supported by the support bracket 61B integrally connected to the rotating arm assembly 61A, is biased in the contact position so as to press against the outer surface 71a of the container 7. In the contact position, the contact roller 62 stably abuts against the outer surface 71a of the container 7 held in a suspended state, suppressing lateral shaking of the container 7.

[0048] In this embodiment, the contact roller 62 does not have an outer peripheral surface 62a that is a cylindrical surface without any unevenness, but has a groove 62G recessed inward from the outer peripheral surface 62a as shown in FIG. 10. The groove 62G is formed in an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 in the contact posture, which corresponds to the convex portion 71P of the container 7 held by the holding device 30. The groove 62G is formed to include an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 in the contact posture that the convex portion 71P occupies in the vertical direction Z. The groove 62G is formed to extend continuously around the entire circumference. In this embodiment, the groove 62G is recessed from the outer peripheral surface 62a in a V-shape and has a triangular cross-sectional shape.

[0049] The brake 65 selectively restricts the rotation of the contact roller 62. For example, an electromagnetic brake can be used as the brake 65. The electromagnetic brake constituting the brake 65 may be an excitation actuation type or a non-excitation actuation type. The brake 65 is switched on and off depending on, for example, the traveling state of the transport vehicle 1. In this embodiment, depending on the position of the transport vehicle 1 on the traveling path, for example, the brake 65 is deactivated while the transport vehicle 1 is traveling in a straight section to allow the contact roller 62 to rotate freely, and the brake 65 is activated while the transport vehicle 1 is traveling in a curved section to stop the rotation of the contact roller 62.

[0050] Other embodiments (1) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the contact roller 62, in the contact posture, is biased so as to press the contact roller 62 against the outer surface 71a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62, in the contact posture, does not have to be biased so as to press the contact roller 62 against the outer surface 71a of the container 7. In such a case, the biasing member 61D does not have to be provided, and the rotating arm assembly 61A may be integrated without being divided into the base end arm 61Aa and the tip end arm 61Ab.

[0051] (2) In the above embodiment, the contact roller 62 is made of an elastic material. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 may be made of a hard material.

[0052] (3) In the above embodiment, the groove 62G formed in the contact roller 62 has a triangular cross-sectional shape. However, the groove 62G is not limited to such a configuration, and may have various cross-sectional shapes, such as a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a semicircular shape, an oval shape, and an elliptical shape.

[0053] (4) In the above embodiment, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 when the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be non-parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 when the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7. For example, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be inclined at an angle of 10° or less with respect to the central axis 7x of the container 7. In this manner, it is sufficient that the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is arranged along the central axis 7x of the container 7.

[0054] (5) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the contact roller 62 contacts only the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. However, without being limited to such a configuration, the contact roller 62 may be provided so as to contact both the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72. Alternatively, the contact roller 62 may be provided so as to contact only the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7.

[0055] (6) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which an electromagnetic brake is used as the brake 65 provided in the lateral vibration suppression device 60. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the brake 65 may be of another drive type, such as a mechanical brake or a hydraulic brake. Alternatively, the lateral vibration suppression device 60 may not be provided with the brake 65.

[0056] (7) In the above embodiment, the contact roller 62 changes its position between the separated position and the contact position in conjunction with the change in position of the fall restraint member 51 between the retracted position and the protruding position. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 and the fall restraint member 51 may be driven separately and change their positions independently of each other.

[0057] (8) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the pair of shielding members 36 change their posture between the closed posture and the open posture in conjunction with the posture change between the holding posture and the release posture of the pair of support parts 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the pair of shielding members 36 and the pair of support parts 32 may be driven separately and change their postures independently of each other.

[0058] (9) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 is described as having a shielding member 36 that partially covers the front opening 75a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding device 30 does not need to have the shielding member 36.

[0059] (10) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a pair of support portions 32 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in the width direction Y. Alternatively, a pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in a direction intersecting both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y.

[0060] (11) In the above embodiment, the holding drive unit 33 includes a holding electric motor and a mechanism for converting the rotation of the holding electric motor into a propulsive force in the front-rear direction X. However, the holding drive unit 33 is not limited to such a configuration, and may include a mechanism for directly generating a propulsive force in the front-rear direction X, such as a fluid pressure cylinder mechanism.

[0061] (12) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 supports the recess 73E formed on the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 with a pair of support parts 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall 72 in a flange shape, and the holding device 30 may support the flange-shaped protrusion of the inclined top plate 73 with the pair of support parts 32. Also, a handle-shaped protrusion may be provided on the side wall 72 of the container 7 at a position in the up-down direction different from the inclined top plate 73, and the holding device 30 may support the handle-shaped protrusion with the pair of support parts 32. The handle-shaped protrusion may be formed integrally with the side wall 72, or may be formed of a member separate from the side wall 72 and fixed to the side wall 72.

[0062] (13) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which a portion of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 below the circumferential groove 71G (a portion on the bottom end side of the container 7) is the convex portion 71P. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the convex portion 71P may be located in the middle portion of the container 7 in the vertical direction. In this case, for example, two circumferential grooves 71G may be provided at different positions in the vertical direction on the bottom plate 71 of the container 7, and the portion between these two circumferential grooves 71G may be the convex portion 71P.

[0063] (14) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the outer surface of the convex portion 71P of the container 7 is located on the same cylindrical surface as the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the convex portion 71P of the container 7 may be formed, for example, in a flange shape so as to protrude outward beyond the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71.

[0064] (15) In the above embodiment, the convex portion 71P of the container 7 is formed continuously around the entire circumference. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the convex portion 71P may be formed intermittently in the circumferential direction. In this case, for example, a configuration in which a plurality of protrusions are arranged in the circumferential direction may be used.

[0065] (16) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which an open cassette that does not have a lid for closing the opening 75 is used as the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a container 7 (such as a FOUP or a reticle pod) that has a lid for closing the opening 75 may be used.

[0066] (17) The configurations disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiments (including the above-mentioned embodiments and other embodiments; the same applies below) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs. As for other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] Summary of the embodiment To summarize the above, a transport vehicle according to the present disclosure preferably has the following configurations. A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface of the contact roller that corresponds to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and that protrudes outward compared to other adjacent portions at least on either the top or bottom.

[0068] According to this configuration, the abutment roller that abuts against the outer surface of the container is provided rotatably, so that the container held in a suspended state can be prevented from swaying sideways during transport. In this case, if there is a convex portion on the outer surface of the container, there is a concern that the outer peripheral surface of the abutment roller will come into contact with the convex portion and wear locally, but since a groove that extends continuously around the entire circumference is formed in the area corresponding to the convex portion, the abutment roller does not come into contact with the convex portion of the container. Therefore, the amount of dust and the like generated by the wear of the abutment roller can be kept low. As a result, the lateral swing of the container held in a suspended state can be prevented, and the wear of the abutment roller due to contact with the container can be kept low, and the amount of dust and the like generated can be kept low.

[0069] In one embodiment, It is preferable that, when the contact roller is in contact with the outer surface of the container, the rotation axis of the contact roller is parallel to the central axis of the outer surface of the container.

[0070] With this configuration, the contact roller can be smoothly rotated while in contact with the outer surface of the container, which also reduces wear on the contact roller. Also, since the groove of the contact roller and the convex portion of the container face each other from the front, simply providing a groove of the minimum necessary size that is just slightly larger than the convex portion can appropriately reduce wear on the contact roller.

[0071] In one embodiment, The lateral oscillation suppression device includes: a support mechanism for supporting the contact roller; a support drive unit that changes the position of the contact roller between a contact position in which the contact roller contacts the outer surface of the container and a spaced position in which the contact roller is spaced from the outer surface of the container, The support mechanism is preferably configured to bias the contact roller in the contact position toward the outer surface of the container.

[0072] According to this configuration, the container can be easily held or released with the contact roller in the separated position. Also, since the contact roller in the contact position is biased against the outer surface of the container, lateral shaking of the container can be effectively suppressed.

[0073] In one embodiment, a fall prevention member disposed below a bottom surface of the container to prevent the container from falling; and a projection / retraction drive unit that changes the position of the fall prevention member between a protruding position in which the fall prevention member protrudes to a position overlapping with the container when viewed in the up-down direction and a retracted position in which the fall prevention member retracts to a position not overlapping with the container, It is preferable that the fall prevention member is configured to assume the protruding posture as the contact roller assumes the contact posture, and to assume the retracted posture as the contact roller assumes the separated posture in response to a change in posture of the contact roller.

[0074] According to this configuration, even if the suspended holding of the container is mistakenly released for some reason, the drop prevention member can receive the container and prevent the container from dropping. Also, by linking the positional change of the drop prevention member between the protruding position and the retracted position with the positional change of the contact roller between the abutting position and the separated position, it is possible to prevent the container from dropping in the unlikely event of an accident while suppressing lateral shaking of the container with a relatively simple configuration.

[0075] In one embodiment, It is preferable that the outer circumferential surface of the contact roller is made of an elastic material.

[0076] With this configuration, the outer circumferential surface of the contact roller elastically contacts the outer surface of the container, effectively suppressing lateral shaking of the container. Although this makes it more susceptible to wear due to friction than when the outer circumferential surface of the contact roller is made of a highly rigid material, this is not a problem since the outer surface of the contact roller does not contact the convex portion of the container due to the presence of the concave grooves.

[0077] In one embodiment, It is preferable that the lateral oscillation suppression device includes a brake for selectively restricting rotation of the contact roller.

[0078] According to this configuration, the braking can be controlled to be turned on / off depending on the driving state of the transport vehicle, etc., thereby making it possible to appropriately control the way the container sways.

[0079] It is sufficient for the transportation vehicle according to the present disclosure to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 Transport vehicle 7 containers 7x center axis 30 Holding device 50 Fall prevention device 51 Fall prevention member 53 Ingress / egress drive section 60 Rolling Suppression Device 61 Support mechanism 62 Contact roller 62a Outer surface 62G concave groove 62x rotation axis 63 Support drive unit 65 Brake 71 Bottom plate 71a Outer surface (outer surface of container) 71P convex part

Claims

1. A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A transport vehicle in which a groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface of the contact roller that corresponds to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and protrudes outward at least compared to other adjacent portions on either the top or bottom.

2. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a rotation axis of the contact roller is parallel to a central axis of the outer surface of the container when the contact roller is in contact with the outer surface of the container.

3. The lateral oscillation suppression device includes: a support mechanism for supporting the contact roller; a support drive unit that changes the position of the contact roller between a contact position in which the contact roller contacts the outer surface of the container and a spaced position in which the contact roller is spaced from the outer surface of the container, The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism is configured to bias the contact roller in the contact position toward the outer surface of the container.

4. a fall prevention member disposed below a bottom surface of the container to prevent the container from falling; and a projection / retraction drive unit that changes the position of the fall prevention member between a protruding position in which the fall prevention member protrudes to a position overlapping with the container when viewed in the up-down direction and a retracted position in which the fall prevention member retracts to a position not overlapping with the container, The transport vehicle described in claim 3, wherein the fall prevention member is configured to assume the protruding position as the contact roller assumes the contact position and to assume the retracted position as the contact roller assumes the separated position in response to a change in position of the contact roller.

5. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of the contact roller is made of an elastic material.

6. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral vibration suppression device includes a brake that selectively restricts rotation of the contact roller.

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