Transfer device

Abstract

This prevents foreign matter from entering the internal space of the container used to transport the object. [Solution] When the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30 and the lid 110 is open over the opening 102, the internal space 101 is in communication with the transfer port 22 and the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, making it impossible to remove the container 10 from the receiving section 30. When the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30 and the lid 110 is closed over the opening 102, the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, making it possible to remove the container 10 from the receiving section 30.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transfer device.

Background Art

[0002] As a prior art document that discloses the configuration of a lid latch mechanism of a clean box, there is Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-53137 (Patent Document 1). The lid latch mechanism described in Patent Document 1 latches the lid of a clean box having a box body with an opening on one side and a lid for closing the opening. The load port loads a semiconductor wafer in the clean box into a processing apparatus. An internal space including the clean box, the load port, and the processing apparatus forms a clean space. When the clean box is placed on the load port, the latch is released, and when the clean box is lifted, the latch is engaged.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1, when transferring a semiconductor wafer in a clean space, if the box body is detached from the load port with the lid open, the internal space for accommodating the object in the clean box is opened to the external space. As a result, foreign matter other than the object may be mixed into the internal space of the container for transferring the object.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a transfer device capable of suppressing the entry of foreign matter into the internal space of a container for transferring an object.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The transfer device according to this disclosure comprises a container, a housing, a receiving section, and a first locking mechanism. The container includes a main body and a lid. The main body has an internal space capable of accommodating an object and an opening connected to the internal space. The lid opens and closes the opening. The housing is provided with a transfer port through which the object is transferred. The receiving section is fixed to the housing and receives the container. The first locking mechanism is movable between a locked position, which locks the container received in the receiving section so that it cannot be removed from the receiving section, and an unlocked position, which allows the container to be removed from the receiving section. When the container is received in the receiving section and the lid is open, the internal space is in communication with the transfer port, and the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, preventing the container from being removed from the receiving section. When the container is received in the receiving section and the lid is closed, the first locking mechanism moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container to be removed from the receiving section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of foreign matter in the internal space of the container used to transport the object. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the transfer device and characteristic sorting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a container provided in the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the configuration around the receiving section of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the first locking mechanism provided in the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. [Figure 6]This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the first locking mechanism can move from the locked position to the unlocked position. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the second locking mechanism and the switching mechanism included in the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration in which the locked state of the second locking mechanism becomes the unlocked state. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the locked position of the first locking mechanism and the locked state of the second locking mechanism. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing the container placed in the receiving section. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container is received in the receiving section and the opening of the container is closed. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view showing the container being received in the receiving section and the opening of the container being open. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the container and the first locking mechanism included in the transfer device according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] This is a top view showing the configuration of the container according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view showing the container according to Embodiment 2 placed on the receiving section. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container according to Embodiment 2 is received in the receiving section and the opening of the container is closed. [Figure 17] This is a cross-sectional view showing the container according to Embodiment 2 being received in the receiving section and the opening of the container being open. [Figure 18] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first locking mechanism according to Embodiment 2 in the process of moving to the unlocked position. [Figure 19] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the first locking mechanism shown in Figure 18. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the opening of the container according to Embodiment 2 is closed. [Figure 21]It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the first lock mechanism according to Embodiment 2 is separated from the through-hole of the lid portion. [Figure 22] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a container and a first lock mechanism according to a modification of Embodiment 2. [Figure 23] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a container and a first lock mechanism included in a transfer device according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. [Figure 24] It is a side view showing the configuration of a container included in a transfer device according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 25] It is a cross-sectional view showing the opening / closing structure of a lid portion according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 26] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a container according to Embodiment 3 is received in a receiving portion and the opening of the container is opened. [Figure 27] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the first lock mechanism according to Embodiment 3 is moving from the locked position to the unlocked position. [Figure 28] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a container and a first lock mechanism included in a transfer device according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure. [Figure 29] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a container according to Embodiment 4 is received in a receiving portion. [Figure 30] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a container according to Embodiment 4 is received in a receiving portion and the opening of the container is opened. [Figure 31] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a container cannot be removed from a receiving portion when the first lock mechanism according to Embodiment 4 is in the locked position. <​​​​​​​​​In the drawings, the direction in which the container moves and is received in the receiving section, and the direction perpendicular to the approximately vertical direction, are defined as the X direction; the direction in which the container moves and is received in the receiving section is defined as the Y direction; and the height direction of the transfer device is defined as the Z direction. In addition, some components may be omitted to facilitate understanding of the invention.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a transfer device and a characteristic sorting device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure transfers an object between the transfer device 1 and the characteristic sorting device 2. The object in this embodiment is a ceramic capacitor. The ceramic capacitor has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The length of each side constituting the rectangular parallelepiped is, for example, 0.1 mm to 30 mm. Note that the object is not limited to electronic components including ceramic capacitors.

[0013] The transfer device 1 is provided adjacent to the characteristic sorting device 2. The characteristic sorting device 2 according to this embodiment measures the characteristics of ceramic capacitors and sorts them into good and defective products. Note that the transfer device 1 is not limited to being provided adjacent to the characteristic sorting device 2, but may also be provided adjacent to a ceramic capacitor appearance sorting device or the like.

[0014] The characteristic sorting device 2 according to this embodiment comprises a characteristic sorting unit 3 and a control unit 4. The characteristic sorting unit 3 measures the characteristics of the ceramic capacitor, such as capacitance, insulation resistance, or inductance. After measuring the characteristics, the characteristic sorting unit 3 sorts the ceramic capacitors into good and defective products. The characteristic sorting unit 3 is rotatable about its axis in the Y direction. The characteristic sorting unit 3 is provided with a discharge mechanism (not shown) that discharges good products toward the transfer device 1.

[0015] The control unit 4 is electrically connected to the characteristic sorting unit 3 and the transfer device 1. The control unit 4 controls the operation of the characteristic sorting unit 3 and the transfer device 1. Note that the characteristic sorting unit 3 and the transfer device 1 may be controlled by separate control units.

[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure comprises a container 10, a housing 20, a receiving section 30, a cover member 40, another cover member 50, and a drive unit 60.

[0018] The container 10 houses ceramic capacitors that have been sorted by the characteristic sorting device 2. The capacity of the ceramic capacitors in the container 10 is, for example, 3,000,000 or less. It is desirable that the capacity of the ceramic capacitors in the container 10 does not exceed 80 vol.% of the internal space 101, which will be described later. Details of the container 10 will be described later.

[0019] The housing 20 is connected to the outer wall surface of the characteristic sorting device 2. The housing 20 has a main surface portion 21. The main surface portion 21 extends on the XZ plane. The housing 20 may be formed integrally with the outer wall surface of the characteristic sorting device 2.

[0020] The main surface portion 21 is provided with a transfer port 22 through which the object is transferred. In this embodiment, ceramic capacitors are housed inside the container 10 via the transfer port 22 from the characteristic sorting section 3. The rate at which the ceramic capacitors are housed is, for example, 50,000 units / min or more and 100,000 units / min or less.

[0021] The receiving section 30 is fixed to the housing 20. The receiving section 30 is positioned to be aligned with the transfer port 22 in the Y direction. In the Z direction, the receiving section 30 is located below the transfer port 22 and the cover member 40. Details of the receiving section 30 will be described later. In this embodiment, the Z direction is approximately vertical.

[0022] The cover member 40 constitutes part of the transport path for the object. The cover member 40 is located above the receiving section 30. The cover member 40 is connected to the transport port 22 of the housing 20. The cover member 40 is provided to cover the opening 102 of the container 10, which will be described later.

[0023] The cover member 40 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cover member 40 is made of a material such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or hard resin.

[0024] The cover member 40 includes a side wall portion 41 and an upper wall portion 42. The side wall portion 41 is erected in the Z direction so as to surround the transfer opening 22. The upper wall portion 42 is connected to the upper end of the side wall portion 41.

[0025] The side wall 41 and the upper wall 42 form a space through which a ceramic capacitor can pass inside 45. The inside 45 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped space. The width dimension in the X direction, the length dimension in the Y direction, and the height dimension in the Z direction that constitute the roughly rectangular parallelepiped are, for example, between 30 mm and 200 mm.

[0026] A mesh section 43 is provided in the upper wall section 42. The mesh section 43 has a mesh structure. Air can flow through the mesh section 43. When compressed air is injected into the ceramic capacitor to transport it, the mesh section 43 serves as a discharge path for the compressed air. This allows for a simple transport configuration using compressed air when housing the ceramic capacitor in the container 10 of the transport device 1.

[0027] The plate thickness of the side wall portion 41 and the upper wall portion 42 is, for example, 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The gap between the side wall portion 41 and the main body portion 100 in the Z direction is, for example, greater than 0 mm and 1 mm or less. The gap between the side wall portion 41 and the pair of wall portions 32 in the Z direction is, for example, greater than 0 mm and 0.2 mm or less.

[0028] The other cover members 50 are connected to the receiving portion 30. The thickness of the other cover members 50 is, for example, 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

[0029] The other cover member 50 is adjacent to the cover member 40. The other cover member 50 is in contact with the side wall portion 41 from the Y direction.

[0030] The other cover member 50 is provided to cover the lid 110 of the container 10, which will be described later. This prevents foreign objects other than the target object from being placed on the lid 110.

[0031] The drive unit 60 is connected to a first locking mechanism 130 and a switching mechanism 150, which will be described later. The drive unit 60 is drivable in the vertical direction (Z direction). The drive unit 60 has a cylinder 61. The cylinder 61 is connected to another cover member 50. The operation of the cylinder 61 drives the drive unit 60 in the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0032] In this embodiment, two cylinders 61 are provided. Multiple cylinders 61 may be provided to ensure smooth operation of the drive unit 60. Furthermore, the drive unit 60 may be provided with a spring mechanism or a linear bush to ensure efficient operation of the drive unit 60.

[0033] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the container provided in the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the container 10 is roughly rectangular in shape. The width dimension in the X direction, the length dimension in the Y direction, and the height dimension in the Z direction that constitute the roughly rectangular prism are, for example, between 10 mm and 300 mm.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the container 10 has a main body 100 and a lid 110. The main body 100 has a bottomed rectangular tubular shape. In the Z direction, the main body 100 is positioned below the lid 110.

[0036] The main body 100 is made of materials such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or hard resin.

[0037] The main body 100 has a side section 120, a bottom section 121, a rail section 122, and a handle 123.

[0038] The side sections 120 consist of a front surface to which the handle 123 is attached, a rear surface opposite the front surface, and right and left sides connecting the front and rear surfaces. The side sections 120 are erected in the Z direction from the four ends of the bottom section 121.

[0039] The main body 100 is provided with an internal space 101 capable of accommodating an object. The internal space 101 is surrounded by side sections 120 and a bottom section 121. The internal space 101 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped space. The internal space 101 opens upwards.

[0040] The main body 100 has an opening 102 connected to the internal space 101. The opening 102 is connected to the upper part of the internal space 101. The opening 102 may also be connected to the side of the internal space 101.

[0041] The rail section 122 is provided above the right and left sides of the side section 120. The rail section 122 extends in the Y direction.

[0042] The handle 123 is connected to the front of the side portion 120. By grasping the handle 123, a person or robot can move the container 10 on the receiving section 30 or transport it to a location other than the receiving section 30.

[0043] The thickness of the side portion 120 is, for example, 1 mm to 4 mm. The difference in dimensions between the outer dimensions of the main body portion 100 (excluding the handle 123) and the internal space 101 is, for example, 2 mm to 8 mm.

[0044] The lid portion 110 constitutes the upper surface of the container 10. The thickness dimension of the lid portion 110 in the Z direction is, for example, 1 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The width dimension in the X direction and the length dimension in the Y direction of the lid portion 110 are approximately the same as the width dimension and length dimension of the outer shape of the main body portion 100. The dimensional difference between the width dimension and length dimension of the lid portion 110 and the main body portion 100 is, for example, -1 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

[0045] The lid portion 110 is made of a material such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or hard resin.

[0046] The lid portion 110 has a flat portion 111, a first projection 112, a second projection 113, and a rail fitting portion 114.

[0047] The planar portion 111 extends in the XY plane. The planar portion 111 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the Z direction. The planar portion 111 covers the opening 102.

[0048] The first projection 112 protrudes from the flat portion 111. The first projection 112 protrudes from the flat portion 111 in the direction (Y direction) in which the main body portion 100 slides relative to the lid portion 110.

[0049] The second projection 113 protrudes from the flat portion 111. The second projection 113 is located on one side of the flat portion 111 in the Y direction. In the Z direction, the second projection 113 protrudes from the flat portion 111 toward the main body portion 100.

[0050] The second projection 113 is rectangular in shape. The dimensions of each side constituting the rectangular prism are, for example, between 1 mm and 20 mm.

[0051] The rail fitting portion 114 is provided at a position corresponding to the rail portion 122 of the main body portion 100. As the rail portion 122 moves while fitting into the rail fitting portion 114, the main body portion 100 slides relative to the lid portion 110. This causes the lid portion 110 to open and close the opening 102. The direction of movement of the main body portion 100 is one direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the Z direction.

[0052] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration around the receiving section of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure.

[0053] The receiving section 30 is composed of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped member. The width dimension of the receiving section 30 in the X direction is, for example, 10 mm to 50 mm. The length dimension of the receiving section 30 in the Y direction is, for example, 50 mm to 300 mm. The height dimension of the receiving section 30 in the Z direction is, for example, 10 mm to 300 mm.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the receiving section 30 receives the container 10. When the container 10 is inserted to the other end of the receiving section 30 in the Y direction, the container 10 is fixed with a positioning accuracy of, for example, ±0.2 mm or more and ±5 mm or less.

[0055] The receiving portion 30 is made of a material such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or hard resin.

[0056] The receiving section 30 has a base section 31 and a pair of wall sections 32. The base section 31 extends in the XY plane. The base section 31 is rectangular when viewed from the Z direction.

[0057] The container 10 is placed on the base portion 31. The container 10 is movable in the Y direction on the base portion 31. This allows the main body portion 100 to slide (move in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4).

[0058] The pair of wall portions 32 are in contact with the base portion 31 in the X direction. The pair of wall portions 32 are arranged such that one wall portion 32A and the other wall portion 32B face each other in the X direction.

[0059] Each of the pair of wall portions 32 is sized to face the side portion 120 of the container 10. Each of the pair of wall portions 32 guides the container 10 in the X direction.

[0060] A pair of wall sections 32 are in contact with the housing 20 at their other ends in the Y direction. A tapered section 33 is provided at one end of the pair of wall sections 32 in the Y direction. The inclination angle of the tapered section 33 is, for example, 5° to 30° with respect to the plane of each of the pair of wall sections 32. By providing the tapered section 33, the gap between the pair of wall sections 32 increases towards the one end in the Y direction. This makes it easier to insert the container 10 into the receiving section 30.

[0061] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the first locking mechanism provided in the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure.

[0062] The transfer device 1 further comprises a first locking mechanism 130. The first locking mechanism 130 is connected to a drive unit 60. The first locking mechanism 130 moves in the Z direction by the drive of the drive unit 60. The first locking mechanism 130 and the drive unit 60 are located on the handle 123 side of the container 10.

[0063] The first locking mechanism 130 includes a first support 131 and a first plunger 132.

[0064] The first support 131 supports the first plunger 132. When the first support 131 is moved downward by the drive unit 60, it extends below the lid 110 in the Z direction.

[0065] The first plunger 132 is located on the lower end side of the first support 131. The first plunger 132 is a ball plunger. The diameter of the first plunger 132 is, for example, 3 mm to 10 mm. The pressing force of the first plunger 132 is, for example, 2 N to 20 N. The material of the first plunger 132 is, for example, an aluminum alloy, an iron alloy, or a hard resin.

[0066] The tip of the first plunger 132 is capable of reciprocating motion such that the amount of spherical protrusion changes. The amount of protrusion at the tip of the first plunger 132 varies, for example, from more than 0 mm to 10 mm or less.

[0067] The tip of the first plunger 132 is provided to be able to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction. In this embodiment, the tip of the first plunger 132 on the container 10 side is provided to be able to reciprocate along the direction in which the main body 100 slides relative to the lid 110 (Y direction).

[0068] In the Y direction, with the other end of the lid portion 110 in contact with the side wall portion 41 of the cover member 40, the first plunger 132 is positioned close to the first projection 112 of the lid portion 110 so that the tip of the first plunger 132 on the container 10 side can reciprocate.

[0069] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the first locking mechanism can move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0070] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first locking mechanism 130 has defined locking and unlocking positions.

[0071] First, the locked position of the first locking mechanism 130 will be described. As shown in Figure 5, the first locking mechanism 130 is moved downward by the drive unit 60. The first plunger 132 comes into contact with the first projection 112. The tip of the first plunger 132 retracts in the Y direction along the inclined surface 115 of the first projection 112.

[0072] When the first plunger 132 moves downward beyond the first projection 112 and the main body 100 is not in contact with the first plunger 132, the tip of the first plunger 132 extends toward the container 10. Since the tip of the first plunger 132 catches on the first projection 112 in the Z direction, the first locking mechanism 130 cannot move upward in the Z direction.

[0073] The lid portion 110 of the container 10 is fixed in the Y direction because it is sandwiched between the side wall portion 41 and the first locking mechanism 130 in the Y direction. Furthermore, since the lid portion 110 is connected to the main body portion 100 which slides in the Y direction, it is also fixed in the X and Z directions. As a result, the lid portion 110 is fixed in the X, Y, and Z directions, making it impossible to remove the container 10 from the receiving portion 30.

[0074] The first locking mechanism 130 locks the container 10 with the first plunger 132 positioned below the lid 110 and the tip of the first plunger 132 hooked onto the first projection 112 in the Z direction. Thus, the locked position of the first locking mechanism 130 is a position that locks the container 10, once received in the receiving section 30, so that it cannot be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0075] Next, the unlock position of the first locking mechanism 130 will be described. As shown in Figure 6, the main body 100 slides relative to the lid 110 in the Y direction in order to close the opening 102. The main body 100 slides until one end of the first projection 112 and the side portion 120 are on the same plane (XZ plane). The side portion 120 comes into contact with the tip of the first plunger 132, and the tip of the first plunger 132 retracts.

[0076] Since the tip of the first plunger 132 does not catch on the first projection 112 in the Z direction, the first locking mechanism 130 becomes movable upward in the Z direction. The drive unit 60 moves the first locking mechanism 130 upward. The lid 110 is released from being fixed by the first locking mechanism 130, and the container 10 becomes removable from the receiving section 30.

[0077] The first locking mechanism 130 unlocks the container 10 when the first plunger 132 is positioned above the lid 110. Thus, the unlocked position of the first locking mechanism 130 is a position in which the container 10 can be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0078] As described above, the first locking mechanism 130 is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. This allows the first locking mechanism 130 to switch between a state in which the container 10 cannot be removed from the receiving section 30 and a state in which it can be removed.

[0079] In this embodiment, the main body 100 contacts the first plunger 132, allowing the first locking mechanism 130 to move in the Z direction. By using a plunger in the first locking mechanism 130, there is only one axis of movement for the first locking mechanism 130 to move to the unlocked position. This simplifies the configuration of the drive unit 60 related to the first locking mechanism 130.

[0080] The first locking mechanism may consist of a sensor and an actuator. In this case, the first locking mechanism may be configured such that, for example, the sensor detects the closure of the lid, and the actuator unlocks the container 10 that is locked in the receiving section 30, thereby allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0081] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the second locking mechanism and the switching mechanism of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration in which the locked state of the second locking mechanism becomes the unlocked state.

[0082] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the transfer device 1 further comprises a second locking mechanism 140 and a switching mechanism 150.

[0083] The second locking mechanism 140 can fix the relative position between the main body 100 and the lid 110 so that the opening 102 does not open.

[0084] The second locking mechanism 140 is provided on the container 10. In this embodiment, the second locking mechanism 140 is provided on the side portion 120. A hole 141 is provided near one end of the side portion 120 in the Y direction. The hole 141 extends in the X direction.

[0085] A second plunger 142 is embedded inside the hole 141. The second plunger 142 is a ball plunger. The diameter of the second plunger 142 is, for example, between 3 mm and 10 mm. The pressing force of the second plunger 142 is, for example, between 2 N and 20 N. The material of the second plunger 142 is, for example, an aluminum alloy, an iron alloy, or a hard resin.

[0086] The tip of the second plunger 142 is capable of reciprocating motion such that the amount of spherical protrusion changes. The amount of protrusion at the tip of the second plunger 142 varies, for example, from more than 0 mm to 10 mm or less.

[0087] The tip of the second plunger 142 is provided to be reciprocable in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction. In this embodiment, the tip of the second plunger 142 is provided to be reciprocable, protruding from the container 10 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the main body 100 slides relative to the lid 110 (X direction).

[0088] Since the second locking mechanism 140 is provided on the container 10, the opening 102 can be easily kept closed by the lid 110 even when the container 10 is not placed in the receiving section 30.

[0089] The second locking mechanism 140 is provided in the container 10, but the configuration is not limited to this. The second locking mechanism 140 may be provided, for example, in the receiving section 30.

[0090] The switching mechanism 150 can switch between the locked state and the unlocked state of the second locking mechanism 140. The switching mechanism 150 includes a second support 151 and an inclined surface 152.

[0091] The second support 151 extends such that when it is moved downward by the drive unit 60, the inclined surface 152 is positioned below the second plunger 142 in the Z direction.

[0092] The second support 151 is substantially rectangular in shape. The material of the second support 151 is, for example, an aluminum alloy, an iron alloy, or a hard resin.

[0093] The inclined portion 152 is provided on the surface of the second support 151 facing the second locking mechanism 140. The inclined portion 152 is tilted so as it extends upward in the Z direction, it approaches the container 10. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 152 is, for example, 5° to 30° with respect to the plane of the second support 151.

[0094] The switching mechanism 150 is movable toward and toward the second locking mechanism 140 in order to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state when the second locking mechanism 140 is activated.

[0095] The locked state is when the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30, the second locking mechanism 140 is activated, and the relative positions of the main body 100 and the lid 110 are fixed. The unlocked state is when the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30, the second locking mechanism 140 is released, and the relative positions of the main body 100 and the lid 110 are released.

[0096] In this embodiment, "the state in which the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30" means the state in which the container 10 can be attached to and detached from the receiving section 30 by switching the lock position or unlock position of the first locking mechanism 130, or the state in which the main body 100 can open and close the opening 102 by sliding relative to the lid 110 while the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position.

[0097] In this embodiment, when the second locking mechanism 140 is locked, the second plunger 142 protrudes from the side portion 120. In the Y direction, the second plunger 142 contacts the second projection 113 of the lid portion 110, so the main body portion 100 cannot slide relative to the lid portion 110 in the Y direction. As a result, the relative positions of the main body portion 100 and the lid portion 110 are fixed.

[0098] When the second locking mechanism 140 is unlocked, the drive unit 60 moves the switching mechanism 150 downward. The second plunger 142 comes into contact with the inclined surface 152. The second plunger 142 retracts along the inclined surface 152. The tip of the second plunger 142 retracts to approximately the same position as the surface facing the side portion 120 of the second projection 113. In this state, the main body 100 is slid in the Y direction relative to the lid 110. Since the tip of the second plunger 142 does not contact the second projection 113, the main body 100 can slide relative to the lid 110. As a result, the second locking mechanism 140 is unlocked, and the relative position of the main body 100 and the lid 110 is released.

[0099] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the locked position of the first locking mechanism and the locked state of the second locking mechanism.

[0100] As shown in Figure 9, the drive unit 60 is connected to the first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150. Thus, the first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 are integrated into a single unit. The first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 are movable together in the Z direction. Note that the first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 do not necessarily have to be integrated into a single unit.

[0101] The first height H1 at which the first locking mechanism 130 operates is located above the second height H2 at which the switching mechanism 150 operates. When the switching mechanism 150 operates and the second locking mechanism 140 is unlocked, the first plunger 132 of the first locking mechanism 130 is located below the lid 110. Due to the positional relationship between the first height H1 and the second height H2, when the switching mechanism 150 unlocks the second locking mechanism 140 and releases the fixation between the main body 100 and the lid 110, the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, preventing the container 10 from being removed from the receiving section 30.

[0102] When the switching mechanism 150 separates from the second locking mechanism 140 and the second locking mechanism 140 enters the locked state, the first plunger 132 of the first locking mechanism 130 is positioned above the lid 110. As a result, when the second locking mechanism 140 is in the locked state and the opening 102 is closed, fixing the main body 100 and the lid 110 together, the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0103] A single operation that moves the first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 together in the Z direction allows switching between the unlocked position of the first locking mechanism 130 and the locked state of the second locking mechanism 140, and the locked position of the first locking mechanism 130 and the unlocked state of the second locking mechanism 140. This simplifies the operation of the first locking mechanism 130 and the second locking mechanism 140.

[0104] The following describes the process by which an object is placed in the internal space 101 of the container 10. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the container placed in the receiving section. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the container being received in the receiving section and the opening of the container being closed. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the container being received in the receiving section and the opening of the container being open.

[0105] First, as shown in Figure 10, the container 10 is placed on the receiving section 30. The positional relationship of the container 10, the first locking mechanism 130, the second locking mechanism 140, and the switching mechanism 150 shown in Figure 10 is defined as the first position.

[0106] In the first position, the second locking mechanism 140 is in the locked position, and the opening 102 of the container 10 is closed. The first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 are located above the container 10. The first locking mechanism 130 is in the unlocked position. The switching mechanism 150 is not operating.

[0107] Next, as shown in Figure 11, the container 10 is moved in the Y direction. The lid portion 110 comes into contact with the side wall portion 41 of the cover member 40. Then, the drive unit 60 is driven to move the first locking mechanism 130 and the switching mechanism 150 downwards. The positional relationship of the container 10, the first locking mechanism 130, the second locking mechanism 140, and the switching mechanism 150 shown in Figure 11 is defined as the second position.

[0108] In the second position, the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position and the first plunger 132 is retracted. The lid 110 is sandwiched between the first locking mechanism 130 and the side wall 41 in the Y direction, so the position of the lid 110 is fixed. The switching mechanism 150 is activated and the second locking mechanism 140 is unlocked, so the opening 102 of the container 10 can be opened.

[0109] Next, as shown in Figure 12, the main body 100 is moved in the Y direction toward the housing 20. The side portion 120 of the main body 100 comes into contact with the main surface portion 21. The positional relationship of the container 10, the first locking mechanism 130, the second locking mechanism 140, and the switching mechanism 150 shown in Figure 12 is defined as the third position.

[0110] In the third position, the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position and the first plunger 132 is extended. The second locking mechanism 140 is in the unlocked state. The opening 102 is opened by the sliding movement of the main body 100.

[0111] In the first of the three positions described above, when the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30 and the lid 110 is closing the opening 102, the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0112] On the other hand, in the third position, when the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30 and the lid 110 is open at the opening 102, the internal space 101 communicates with the transfer port 22. Furthermore, because the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, the container 10 cannot be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0113] When moving from the third position to the first position, the first locking mechanism 130 is positioned in the unlocked position. In order to position the first locking mechanism 130 in the unlocked position, it is necessary to make it possible to move the first locking mechanism 130 from the locked position to the unlocked position. In the second position, the first plunger 132 is retracted by the main body 100, so the first locking mechanism 130 can be moved from the locked position to the unlocked position. In other words, when moving from the third position to the first position, it is always necessary to go through the second position. In the second position, the lid 110 closes the opening 102, so unless the opening 102 is closed after going through the second position, it is not possible to move to the first position and remove the container 10 from the receiving section 30.

[0114] As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, when the lid 110 opens the opening 102, the internal space 101 communicates with the transport port 22 through the interior 45 of the cover member 40. A first opening 46 is located to the side of the interior 45, and a second opening 47 is located below the interior 45. The first opening 46 communicates with the transport port 22. The second opening 47 communicates with the opening 102.

[0115] A good quality ceramic capacitor P is discharged from the transfer port 22. The ceramic capacitor P passes through the inside 45 of the cover member 40 and is housed in the internal space 101. The internal space 101 is in communication with the transfer port 22 so that nothing other than the ceramic capacitor P being transferred (for example, defective products or other types of ceramic capacitors) cannot be transferred into the internal space 101. In other words, the internal space 101 and the transfer port 22 are in communication to suppress the mixing of foreign matter other than the object being transferred into the internal space 101 of the container 10 that transfers the object.

[0116] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, after the required amount of ceramic capacitors P are placed in the container 10, the main body 100 is slid away from the housing 20. The first plunger 132 retracts, making the first locking mechanism 130 movable to the unlocked position. The opening 102 is closed by the lid 110. By moving the drive unit 60 upward, the first locking mechanism 130 is moved to the unlocked position and the second locking mechanism 140 is locked. The container 10 becomes removable from the receiving unit 30. This completes the transfer of the ceramic capacitors P from the characteristic sorting device 2 to the transfer device 1.

[0117] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure, when the container 10 is received in the receiving section 30, if the lid 110 is open over the opening 102, the internal space 101 communicates with the transfer port 22, and the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, preventing the container 10 from being removed from the receiving section 30. When the lid 110 is closed over the opening 102, the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30. As a result, when the lid 110 of the container 10 is open, the container 10 can be stored in the internal space 101 of the container 10 without being removed from the receiving section 30, and the ceramic capacitor P can be accommodated in the internal space. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of foreign matter into the internal space 101 of the container 10 that is transferring the ceramic capacitor P (object).

[0118] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, a second locking mechanism 140 is provided that can fix the relative position of the main body 100 and the lid 110 so that the opening 102 is not opened, thereby allowing the opening and closing of the opening 102 by the lid 110 to be operated so that foreign matter does not enter the internal space 101.

[0119] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, the switching mechanism 150 is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the second locking mechanism 140, thereby enabling the fixing or release of the relative position between the main body 100 and the lid 110 by the second locking mechanism 140. The second locking mechanism 140 can be operated with a simple configuration because it uses the inclined surface 152 of the switching mechanism 150 to reciprocate the second plunger 142.

[0120] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure, the switching mechanism 150 is integrally configured with the first locking mechanism 130. When the second locking mechanism 140 is unlocked by the switching mechanism 150 and the fixing between the main body 100 and the lid 110 is released, the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, preventing the container 10 from being removed from the receiving section 30. Furthermore, when the second locking mechanism 140 is in the locked position and the opening 102 is closed, and the main body 100 and the lid 110 are fixed together, the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30. As a result, the container 10 can only be removed from the receiving section 30 when the lid 110 is closing the opening 102, thus preventing foreign matter from entering the internal space 101 of the container 10.

[0121] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, the main body 100 is positioned below the lid 110 in the Z direction, and the opening 102 is opened by the sliding movement of the main body 100. If foreign matter is placed on the lid 110, moving the lid 110 would allow the foreign matter on the lid 110 to enter the internal space 101 of the main body 100. However, because the main body 100 is slid, the ingress of foreign matter into the internal space 101 can be suppressed.

[0122] In the transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, by providing a cover member 40 that covers the opening 102, the ceramic capacitor P can be transferred without completely opening the opening 102, thus enabling efficient opening and closing of the opening 102.

[0123] In the transfer device 1 of the embodiment 1 described above, the object is contained in the container 10, but the device is not limited to this configuration. The object to be transferred may be discharged from the container to the transfer port. When the object is discharged from the container to the transfer port, the internal space and the transfer port can be connected by opening the lid only when necessary to prevent foreign matter from entering the internal space, thereby suppressing the entry of foreign matter into the internal space and the transfer port.

[0124] Furthermore, the transfer device 1 may include a vibrator to vibrate the container 10 or a mechanism to change the discharge direction of the ceramic capacitors P from the transfer port 22 in order to suppress uneven deposition of the ceramic capacitors P inside the container 10.

[0125] The transfer device 1 according to the above-described embodiment 1 can also be described as follows.

[0126] As shown in Figure 11, the tip of the cover member 40 is positioned alongside the lid 110 in the first direction (Y direction) when the container 10 is placed on the receiving section 30. The tip of the cover member 40 is the lower end of the side wall 41.

[0127] The first locking mechanism 130 is supported by the housing 20 via the drive unit 60. The first locking mechanism 130 includes a first portion. The first portion is positioned alongside the lid 110 in a first direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the Z direction when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position. The first portion is part of the circumferential surface of the first support 131.

[0128] When the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, the first support 131 is aligned with the lid 110 in the first direction (Y direction) on the opposite side from the tip of the cover member 40 (the lower end of the side wall portion 41) when viewed from the lid 110.

[0129] The lid portion 110 includes a second portion. The second portion engages with a portion of the circumferential surface (first portion) of the first support 131 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position. The second portion is a portion of the end face of the lid portion 110 that faces a portion of the circumferential surface of the first support 131 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position.

[0130] When the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, the first part and the second part engage with each other in the first direction (Y direction), restricting the movement of the lid 110 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction), so that the container 10 cannot be removed from the receiving part 30.

[0131] Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, the lid portion 110 is sandwiched between the tip of the cover member 40 (the lower end of the side wall portion 41) and the first support 131 in the first direction (Y direction), thereby restricting the movement of the lid portion 110 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0132] Furthermore, the main body 100 and the lid 110 are connected to each other so as to be slidable in a first direction (Y direction), thereby restricting the movement of the main body 100 relative to the lid 110 in the Z direction and in a second direction (X direction) perpendicular to the Z direction and the first direction. As a result, the movement of the container 10 relative to the housing 20 is restricted in the X, Y, and Z directions, making it impossible to remove the container 10 from the receiving section 30.

[0133] As shown in Figure 12, when the container 10 cannot be removed from the receiving section 30, the opening 102 is opened and closed by the sliding movement of the main body 100. Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, with the lid 110 in contact with the tip of the cover member 40, the opening 102 is opened and closed by the sliding movement of the main body 100 relative to the lid 110 in a first direction (Y direction).

[0134] The first plunger 132 is provided on the first support 131 and is extendable and retractable in a first direction (Y direction). When the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position and the lid 110 is open, the first plunger 132 extends and engages with the lid 110, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism 130 from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0135] When the opening 102 is open, the opening 102 communicates with the interior 45 of the cover member 40, allowing the ceramic capacitor P (object) to be transferred from the transfer port 22 into the internal space 101. When the opening 102 is open, it communicates only with the interior 45 of the cover member 40, thus preventing foreign matter other than the ceramic capacitor P (object) from entering the internal space 101.

[0136] Once the transfer of the ceramic capacitor P (object) is complete, the container 10 is removed from the receiving section 30. The first part separates from the second part in the Z direction, and the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10 to be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0137] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position and the lid portion 110 is closing the opening 102, the main body portion 100 is in contact with the first plunger 132, causing the first plunger 132 to retract, which allows the first locking mechanism 130 to move from the locked position to the unlocked position. As shown in Figure 10, when the first locking mechanism 130 moves to the unlocked position and separates from the container 10, the container 10 can be moved in the first direction (Y direction) and removed from the receiving portion 30.

[0138] In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the first locking mechanism 130 is configured with a simple structure using the first plunger 132, and when the first locking mechanism 130 is in the locked position, the lid portion 110 is in contact with the tip of the cover member 40, and the main body portion 100 slides relative to the lid portion 110 in a first direction (Y direction), thereby opening and closing the opening 102. This prevents foreign matter from entering the internal space 101 of the container 10 to which the ceramic capacitor P (object) is transferred.

[0139] The transfer devices according to Embodiments 2 to 4 of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the figures. In the description of the transfer devices according to Embodiments 2 to 4 of this disclosure, configurations that are the same as those of the transfer device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure will not be repeated.

[0140] (Embodiment 2) Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the container and the first locking mechanism of the transfer device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 14 is a top view showing the configuration of the container according to Embodiment 2.

[0141] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the transfer device 1A according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure comprises a container 10A, a housing 20, a receiving section 30, a cover member 40, and a first locking mechanism 230. The container 10A has a main body section 200 and a lid section 210.

[0142] The main body 200 has a side section 203. The side section 203 has a front section 203A and a rear section 203B. The front section 203A and the rear section 203B face each other in a first direction (Y direction) with an internal space 201 in between. The front section 203A is located further away from the rear section 203B relative to the housing 20.

[0143] The lid portion 210 has an upper surface 211 and a rail fitting portion 214. A first inclined surface portion 215 is provided on the upper surface 211. The first inclined surface portion 215 is located at the end of the upper surface 211 on the housing 20 side. The first inclined surface portion 215 extends in a second direction (X direction). Note that the first inclined surface portion 215 may be provided only in a position aligned with the first locking mechanism 230 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0144] The first inclined surface portion 215 is inclined with respect to a first direction (Y direction). The first inclined surface portion 215 is inclined downward in the Z direction as it approaches the housing 20.

[0145] The lid portion 210 is provided with a through hole 216. The through hole 216 is located on the upper surface 211. The through hole 216 penetrates the lid portion 210 in the Z direction. The through hole 216 is located on the side away from the housing 20. The through hole 216 is aligned with the front surface 203A in the Z direction.

[0146] The container 10A is provided with a second inclined surface portion 217. The second inclined surface portion 217 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216. The second inclined surface portion 217 is inclined with respect to the first direction (Y direction). The second inclined surface portion 217 is provided such that the inner diameter of the through hole 216 decreases from the upper surface 211 downwards. The second inclined surface portion 217 is provided on the housing 20 side of the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216. That is, when viewed from the second direction (X direction), the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216 is inclined with respect to the Z direction on the housing 20 side, and the inner circumferential surface on the opposite side of the housing 20 is aligned with the Z direction.

[0147] The rail portion (not shown) of the main body portion 200 is fitted into the rail fitting portion 214. As a result, the main body portion 200 and the cover portion 210 can slide in the first direction (Y direction).

[0148] The first locking mechanism 230 includes a column member 231 and an elastic member 232. The column member 231 extends in the Z direction. The cross-sectional shape of the column member 231 is arbitrary; for example, if it is circular, its diameter is, for example, 3 mm or more and 20 mm or less. Furthermore, the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction should have a shape that continuously changes toward a shape narrower than the cross-section of the column member 231. If the cross-sectional shape of the column member 231 is, for example, circular, the lower end 233 should be, for example, hemispherical or conical.

[0149] The upper end of the column member 231 is connected to the drive unit 60 via an elastic member 232. As a result, the column member 231 is movable in the Z direction by both the elastic member 232 and the drive unit 60.

[0150] The drive unit 60 is connected to the housing 20. The column member 231 is fixed in position relative to the housing 20 in a first direction (Y direction) and a second direction (X direction). The column member 231 is sized to be inserted into the through hole 216.

[0151] The first locking mechanism 230 can be adjusted to various positions in the Z direction. Specifically, the drive unit 60 can move to a lower position P1 or an upper position P2 in the Z direction. The lower position P1 and upper position P2 of the drive unit 60 can be adjusted by operating the drive unit 60 from the control unit 4 when the container 10A is placed on the receiving section 30, etc.

[0152] When the drive unit 60 is in the lower position P1, with the elastic member 232 not biased, the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction is positioned alongside the main body 200 in the first direction (Y direction). When the drive unit 60 is in the upper position P2, with the elastic member 232 not biased, the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction is positioned alongside the first inclined surface 215 of the cover 210 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0153] The column member 231 can be moved up and down by the elastic member 232 regardless of whether the drive unit 60 is in the lower position P1 or the upper position P2. The column member 231 can be moved up and down by the container 10A contacting the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction from below. As a result, the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction can be positioned in a position aligned with the main body 200 or the lid 210 in the first direction (Y direction), or on the upper surface 211 of the lid 210.

[0154] The main body 200 has a projection 204 and a second locking mechanism 240. The projection 204 is provided on the front surface 203A. The projection 204 protrudes from the upper end of the front surface 203A toward the lid 210.

[0155] The second locking mechanism 240 is positioned alongside the projection 204 in the first direction (Y direction). In an unloaded state, the second locking mechanism 240 engages with the through hole 216 of the lid 210. In an unloaded state, the second locking mechanism 240 restricts the movement of the main body 200 relative to the lid 210.

[0156] The second locking mechanism 240 has a pin portion 205 and an elastic portion 206. The pin portion 205 is a cylindrical member having a notched shape. The pin portion 205 engages with the projection 204 and is movable in the Z direction.

[0157] The elastic part 206 is a member that supports the pin part 205. The upper end of the elastic part 206 is connected to the pin part 205. The lower end of the elastic part 206 is connected to the upper end of the front surface 203A. The elastic deformation of the elastic part 206 allows the pin part 205 to be moved in the Z direction. The elastic part 206 is, for example, a spring. However, the elastic part 206 is not limited to a spring and may be made of rubber or the like.

[0158] The operation of the transfer device 1A will be described below. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the container according to Embodiment 2 placed on the receiving section.

[0159] As shown in Figure 15, the container 10A is placed on the receiving section 30. The drive unit 60 is moved to the upper position P2. The first locking mechanism 230 is moved to the unlocked position. The lower end 233 of the column member 231 is positioned alongside the first inclined surface section 215 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0160] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container according to Embodiment 2 is received in the receiving section and the opening of the container is closed.

[0161] As shown in Figure 16, the container 10A is received by the receiving section 30. The container 10A is moved toward the housing 20 in a first direction (Y direction). At this time, the column member 231 comes into contact with the first inclined surface 215. As the container 10A is moved further, the column member 231 moves upward while being biased downward along the first inclined surface 215.

[0162] The container 10A moves with the first locking mechanism 230 sliding against the upper surface 211. When the first locking mechanism 230 is in contact with the first inclined surface portion 215 or the upper surface 211, the drive unit 60 is positioned at a lower position P1. By positioning the drive unit 60 at a lower position P1, the lower end 233 of the column member 231 can be positioned below the lid portion 210 in the Z direction inside the through hole 216, which will be described later. This allows the first locking mechanism 230 to be positioned in the locked position.

[0163] The tip of the cover member 40 (the lower end of the side wall portion 41) is positioned alongside the lid portion 210 in the first direction (Y direction) when the container 10A is placed on the receiving portion 30. The container 10A moves in the first direction (Y direction) until the lid portion 210 abuts against the tip of the cover member 40. The first locking mechanism 230 is inserted into the through hole 216.

[0164] When the first locking mechanism 230 is inserted into the through hole 216, the column member 231 of the first locking mechanism 230 comes into contact with the pin portion 205 of the second locking mechanism 240. The elastic force of the elastic portion 206 is lower than the elastic force of the elastic member 232. Therefore, the pin portion 205 moves downward while being biased upward by the elastic portion 206 as the first locking mechanism 230 comes into contact with it from the Z direction. The upper end of the pin portion 205 moves to approximately the same height as the upper end of the projection 204. As a result, the second locking mechanism 240 is unlocked.

[0165] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the container according to Embodiment 2 in a state where it has been received into the receiving section and the opening of the container is open.

[0166] As shown in Figure 17, the opening 202 can be opened and closed because the second locking mechanism 240 is in the unlocked state. The opening 202 is opened and closed by the main body 200 sliding relative to the lid 210 in the first direction (Y direction). When the main body 200 moves relative to the lid 210, the first locking mechanism 230, which was biased upward, extends downward and passes through the through hole 216. The first locking mechanism 230 is positioned in the locked position. The column member 231 is inserted into the through hole 216 in the Z direction when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position.

[0167] The first locking mechanism 230 includes a first portion. The first portion is positioned alongside the cover portion 210 in a first direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the Z direction when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position. The first portion is a part of the outer circumferential surface of the column member 231.

[0168] The lid portion 210 includes a second portion. The second portion engages with the first portion in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position. The second portion is part of the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216.

[0169] When the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position, the first part and the second part engage with each other in the first direction (Y direction), restricting the movement of the lid 210 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction), so that the container 10A cannot be removed from the receiving part 30.

[0170] Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position, a portion of the lid portion 210 is sandwiched between the column member 231 inserted into the through hole 216 and the tip of the cover member 40 (the lower end of the side wall portion 41), thereby restricting the movement of the lid portion 210 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0171] Furthermore, the main body 200 and the lid 210 are connected to each other so as to be slidable in a first direction (Y direction), thereby restricting the movement of the main body 200 relative to the lid 210 in the Z direction and in a second direction (X direction) perpendicular to the Z direction and the first direction. As a result, the movement of the container 10A relative to the housing 20 is restricted in the X, Y, and Z directions, making it impossible to remove the container 10A from the receiving section 30.

[0172] When the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position, the opening 202 is opened and closed by the main body 200 sliding relative to the lid 210 in a first direction (Y direction) while the lid 210 is in contact with the tip of the cover member 40.

[0173] When the opening 202 is open, the opening 202 communicates with the interior 45 of the cover member 40, allowing the ceramic capacitor P (object) to be transferred from the transfer port 22 into the internal space 201. When the opening 202 is open, it communicates only with the interior 45 of the cover member 40, thus preventing foreign matter other than the ceramic capacitor P (object) from entering the internal space 201.

[0174] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the first locking mechanism according to Embodiment 2 in the process of moving to the unlocked position. Figure 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the first locking mechanism in Figure 18.

[0175] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position and the lid portion 210 is open through the opening 202, the column member 231 is inserted through the through hole 216, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism 230 from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0176] The vicinity of the lower end 233 of the column member 231 in the Z direction has a shape that continuously changes toward a shape narrower than the cross-section of the column member 231. When the cross-sectional shape of the column member 231 is circular, for example, the lower end 233 may be hemispherical or truncated cone-shaped. The vicinity of the lower end 233 of the column member 231 completely protrudes from the through hole 216, and the columnar portion extending in the Z direction is positioned so as to be aligned with the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0177] The pin portion 205 is provided with an inclined portion 207. When closing the opening 202, the pin portion 205 comes into contact with the column member 231 in a first direction (Y direction). The rounded tip of the column member 231 comes into contact with the inclined portion 207 in the first direction (Y direction). As a result, the column member 231 can move in the Z direction along the inclined portion 207. The lower end 233 of the column member 231, moving upward along the inclined portion 207, moves to a position where it is aligned with the second inclined surface portion 217 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0178] Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the opening of the container according to Embodiment 2 is closed.

[0179] As shown in Figure 20, the first portion separates from the second portion in the Z direction, and the first locking mechanism 230 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10A to be removed from the receiving portion 30. Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 230 is in the locked position and the lid portion 210 is closing the opening 202, the tip portion (lower end 233) of the column member 231 moves in the Z direction to a position where it can slide against the second inclined surface portion 217, thereby allowing the first locking mechanism 230 to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0180] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view showing the first locking mechanism according to Embodiment 2 in a state where it is separated from the through hole in the lid.

[0181] As shown in Figure 21, the container 10A is movable in a first direction (Y direction) after the column member 231 has exited the through hole 216. The tip of the column member 231 moves along the upper surface 211 of the lid 210. This allows the container 10A to be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0182] In the transfer device 1A of this embodiment, a structurally robust locking mechanism is provided by the column member 231 and the through hole 216 into which the column member 231 is inserted, while suppressing the ingress of foreign matter into the internal space 201 of the container 10A into which the ceramic capacitor P (object) is transferred.

[0183] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a container and a first locking mechanism according to a modified example of Embodiment 2.

[0184] As shown in Figure 22, the main body portion 200A of the container 10A according to the modified embodiment 2 is provided with a third inclined surface portion 208. The third inclined surface portion 208 is provided so as to be inclined downward toward the housing 20 with respect to the first direction (Y direction). When the opening 202 is closed, the third inclined surface portion 208 is smoothly continuous with the first inclined surface portion 215 of the lid portion 210.

[0185] The first locking mechanism 230 is maintained in the lower position P1. When the container 10A is placed on the receiving section 30 and inserted in the first direction (Y direction), the column member 231 is biased downward by the elastic member 232 and moves upward in the Z direction along the third inclined surface section 208 and the first inclined surface section 215.

[0186] Since the column member 231 is biased downward, when the column member 231 is inserted into the through hole 216, the rounded tip of the column member 231 protrudes completely from the through hole 216, and the cylindrical portion extending in the Z direction is positioned to align with the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 216 in the first direction (Y direction). Therefore, if the main body portion 200A is provided with a third inclined surface portion 208, there is no need to move the first locking mechanism 230 to the upper position P2 when the container 10A is placed on the receiving portion 30, and thus there is no need to provide a drive unit 60 in the first locking mechanism 230. As a result, the configuration of the first locking mechanism 230 can be simplified.

[0187] In the modified transport device of Embodiment 2, the third inclined surface portion 208 is provided on the main body portion 200A, so that the first locking mechanism 230 can be moved to the unlocked position without controlling the vertical movement of the column member 231. This simplifies the configuration of the first locking mechanism 230 and simplifies the control of the transport device.

[0188] (Embodiment 3) Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the container and the first locking mechanism of the transfer device according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure. Figure 24 is a side view showing the configuration of the container of the transfer device according to Embodiment 3.

[0189] As shown in Figures 23 and 24, the transfer device 1B according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure comprises a container 10B, a housing 20, a receiving section 30, a first locking mechanism 330, and a cover member 340. The container 10B has a main body section 300 and a lid section 310.

[0190] The main body 300 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an internal space 301. The main body 300 includes a bottom surface 305, a side surface 306, and a top surface 307.

[0191] The bottom portion 305 is located downward in the Z direction. The bottom portion 305 is the surface that contacts the housing. The bottom portion 305 is provided with an extended portion 305A that protrudes toward the housing side from the side portion 306 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0192] The side portion 306 is erected in the Z direction from the bottom portion 305. The side portion 306 surrounds the internal space 301 in both the first direction (Y direction) and the second direction (X direction). The side portion 306 has a front surface 306A and a rear surface 306B. The front surface 306A and the rear surface 306B face each other in the first direction (Y direction) with the internal space 301 in between. The front surface 306A is located further away from the housing 20 than the rear surface 306B. An opening 302 is provided in the rear surface 306B of the side portion 306.

[0193] The upper surface portion 307 faces the lower surface portion 305 in the Z direction. The upper surface portion 307 is provided with a recess 308 that is recessed in the Z direction. The recess 308 is located on the side of the opening 302 in the first direction (Y direction) of the upper surface portion 307.

[0194] The lid portion 310 can open and close the opening 302. The lid portion 310 is provided with a rail fitting portion (not shown). By fitting the rail fitting portion into a rail portion (not shown) provided on the side portion 306, the lid portion 310 can slide relative to the side portion 306 in the Z direction. The lid portion 310 can move up and down in the Z direction by an elastic member 318 provided on the extended portion 305A.

[0195] The first locking mechanism 330 is connected to and supported by the housing. The first locking mechanism 330 includes a first support 331, an elastic member 332, a first protrusion 334, and a second protrusion 335. The first support 331 is a rectangular parallelepiped block. The first support 331 is connected to the elastic member 332 and is movable up and down in the Z direction by the expansion and contraction of the elastic member 332.

[0196] The first protrusion 334 projects downward in the Z direction from the lower surface of the first support 331. The first protrusion 334 engages with the recess 308 when the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position.

[0197] The second protrusion 335 protrudes downward in the Z direction from the lower surface of the first support 331. The second protrusion 335 is indirectly connected to the lid portion 310 in the Z direction via the tip of the cover member 340. The second protrusion 335 moves in the Z direction in conjunction with the lid portion 310.

[0198] The cover member 340 is provided so as to be able to contact the upper surface portion 307 when the container 10B is received in the receiving portion. The tip of the cover member 340 is provided so as to be able to move in the Z direction to be aligned with the lid portion 310 when the container 10B is placed in the receiving portion.

[0199] Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the lid opening and closing structure according to Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 25, the transfer device 1B further includes a lid opening and closing section 70. The lid 310 is provided with a hole 311. The lid opening and closing section 70 is inserted into the hole 311 and is capable of moving the lid 310 in the Z direction. The lid opening and closing section 70 is configured by an actuator, such as a cylinder.

[0200] The operation of the transfer device 1B will now be described. Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container according to Embodiment 3 has been received in the receiving section and the opening of the container has been opened.

[0201] The first locking mechanism 330 includes a first portion. The first portion is positioned alongside the main body 300 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position. The first portion is a part of the outer circumferential surface of the first protrusion 334.

[0202] The main body 300 includes a second part. The second part engages with the first part in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position. The second part is part of the inner circumferential surface of the recess 308.

[0203] When the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position, the first part and the second part engage with each other in the first direction (Y direction), restricting the movement of the main body 300 relative to the housing in the first direction (Y direction), so that the container 10B cannot be removed from the receiving part 30.

[0204] Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position, the first protrusion 334 engages with the recess 308, thereby restricting the movement of the main body 300 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction). As a result, the container 10B is restricted from moving in the Y direction relative to the housing 20, making it impossible to remove the container 10B from the receiving portion 30.

[0205] When the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position, the lid portion 310 slides in the Z direction relative to the main body portion 300 by the drive of the lid opening / closing portion 70, thereby opening and closing the opening 302. The cover member 340 slides in the Z direction together with the lid portion 310. When the opening 302 is open, the opening 302 communicates with the cover member 340, allowing the ceramic capacitor P (object) to be transferred into the internal space 301. When the opening 302 is open, the opening 302 communicates only with the cover member 340, thus preventing foreign matter other than the ceramic capacitor P (object) from entering the internal space 301.

[0206] When the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position and the lid 310 is opening the opening 302, the second protrusion 335 moves downward in the Z direction together with the lid 310, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism 330 from the locked position to the unlocked position. When the second protrusion 335 moves downward in the Z direction together with the lid 310, the first protrusion 334 comes into contact with the recess 308 in the first direction (Y direction), so the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position.

[0207] Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the first locking mechanism according to Embodiment 3 is in the process of moving from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0208] As shown in Figure 27, the first portion separates from the second portion in the Z direction, and the first locking mechanism 330 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10B to be removed from the receiving portion 30. Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 330 is in the locked position and the lid portion 310 is closing the opening 302, the second protrusion 335 is positioned to move upward in the Z direction together with the lid portion 310, thereby allowing the first locking mechanism 330 to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0209] When the second protrusion 335 moves upward in the Z direction together with the lid 310, and the first protrusion 334 moves away from the recess 308, the first locking mechanism 330 is positioned in the unlocked position. Since the container 10B can move in the first direction (Y direction), the container 10B can be removed from the housing 20.

[0210] In the transfer device 1B of this embodiment, the configuration of the first locking mechanism 330 can be easily moved towards the housing 20, making it easy to effectively utilize the space freed up by moving the configuration of the first locking mechanism 330 towards the housing 20, while suppressing the intrusion of foreign matter into the internal space 301 of the container 10B that transfers the ceramic capacitor P (object).

[0211] (Embodiment 4) Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the container and the first locking mechanism of the transfer device according to Embodiment 4 of this disclosure.

[0212] As shown in Figure 28, the transfer device 1C according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure comprises a container 10C, a housing 20, a receiving section 30, a first locking mechanism 430, and a cover member 440. The container 10C has a main body section 400, a lid section 410, and a hinge section 420.

[0213] The lid 410 can open and close the opening 402 of the main body 400. The main body 400 and the lid 410 are connected by a hinge 420. The hinge 420 connects the lid 410 to the main body 400 so that it can rotate. Bearings or bushings may be used in the hinge 420 to improve rotational performance.

[0214] The first locking mechanism 430 is supported by the housing 20 via a drive unit (not shown). The first locking mechanism 430 includes a first support 431 and an extension 432. The first support 431 is a block body extending in the XY plane. The first support 431 is movably provided so as to be positioned alongside the lid 410 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position described later.

[0215] The extension portion 432 is a block body extending in the XZ plane. The extension portion 432 extends downward in the Z direction from the end of the first support 431 opposite to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction). The extension portion 432 is not limited to the configuration of the extension portion 432 in this embodiment, as long as it is configured so that the container 10C cannot be removed from the receiving portion 30 when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position.

[0216] The cover member 440 extends so as to be inclined with respect to the first direction (Y direction). The tip of the cover member 440 is positioned alongside the lid 410 in the first direction (Y direction) when the container 10C is placed on the receiving portion 30.

[0217] The operation of the transfer device 1C will be described below. Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container according to Embodiment 4 has been received in the receiving section.

[0218] As shown in Figure 29, after the container 10C is placed on the receiving section 30, the first locking mechanism 430 is moved downward in the Z direction. The extended portion 432 moves to a position aligned with the container 10C in the first direction (Y direction). As a result, the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position, and the container 10C cannot be removed from the receiving section 30.

[0219] Figure 30 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the container according to Embodiment 4 is received in the receiving section and the opening of the container is open.

[0220] As shown in Figure 30, when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position, the container 10C is moved in the first direction (Y direction) such that the cover member 440 is inserted between the main body 400 and the lid 410 from the side opposite to the side where the hinge portion 420 is provided in the first direction (Y direction). As a result, the lid 410 is rotated by the cover member 440 and the opening 402 is opened.

[0221] The first locking mechanism 430 includes a first portion. The first portion is positioned alongside the lid portion 410 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position. The first portion is part of the circumferential surface of the first support 431.

[0222] The lid portion 410 includes a second portion. The second portion engages with the first portion in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position. The second portion is a part of the lid portion 410 that faces a part of the circumferential surface of the first support 431 in a first direction (Y direction) when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position.

[0223] Figure 31 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the container cannot be removed from the receiving section when the first locking mechanism according to Embodiment 4 is in the locked position.

[0224] As shown in Figure 31, when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position, the first part and the second part engage with each other in the first direction (Y direction), restricting the movement of the lid 410 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction), making it impossible to remove the container 10C from the receiving part 30. Specifically, when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position, the lid 410 is sandwiched between the cover member 440 and the first support 431 in the first direction (Y direction), thereby restricting the movement of the lid 410 relative to the housing 20 in the first direction (Y direction).

[0225] As shown in Figure 30, when the opening 402 is open, the opening 402 communicates with the cover member 440, allowing the ceramic capacitor P (object) to be transferred into the internal space 401. When the opening 402 is open, the opening 402 communicates only with the interior 445 of the cover member 440, thus preventing foreign matter other than the ceramic capacitor P (object) from entering the internal space 401.

[0226] When removing the container 10C from the receiving section 30, the first part separates from the second part in the Z direction, and the first locking mechanism 430 moves to the unlocked position, allowing the container 10C to be removed from the receiving section 30. Specifically, as shown in Figures 28 and 29, when the first locking mechanism 430 is in the locked position and the lid 410 is closing the opening 402, the first support 431 moves away from the lid 410, allowing the first locking mechanism 430 to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0227] When the first locking mechanism 430 moves upward and the extended portion 432 moves to a position where it is not aligned with the lid portion 410 in the first direction (Y direction), the first locking mechanism 430 is positioned in the unlocked position. Since the container 10C can move in the first direction (Y direction), the container 10C can be removed from the receiving portion 30.

[0228] In the transfer device 1C of this embodiment, a hinge portion 420 is used to open and close the lid portion 410 relative to the main body portion 400. This allows the position of the lid portion 410 to be controlled by a simple first locking mechanism 430, while suppressing the entry of foreign matter into the internal space 401 of the container 10C to which the ceramic capacitor P (object) is transferred.

[0229] The container 10C and cover member 440 in the above-described embodiment 4 can also be described as follows.

[0230] The cover member 440 is provided so as to be able to cover the opening 402. The lid portion 410 is rotatably connected to the main body portion 400, thereby enabling the opening 402 to be opened and closed. When the container 10C is received in the receiving portion 30, the tip of the cover member 440 is positioned alongside the lid portion 410. The cover member 440 extends so as to be inclined with respect to the direction (Y direction) in which the tip of the cover member 440 and the lid portion 410 are aligned.

[0231] The cover member 440 is inserted between the main body 400 and the lid 410 in the Y direction when the container 10C is moved in the Y direction, causing the lid 410 to rotate due to the cover member 440 and open the opening 402.

[0232] When the opening 402 is open due to the cover member 440, the internal space 401 communicates with the transfer port 22 through the interior 445 of the cover member 440. When the lid 410 and the cover member 440 are separated, the lid 410 closes the opening 402. This prevents foreign matter from entering the internal space 401 of the container 10C that transports the ceramic capacitor P (object).

[0233] In the description of the embodiments described above, the combinable configurations may be combined with each other.

[0234] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended.

[0235] In each of the embodiments described above, the substantially vertical direction (Z direction) is any direction within the range of -10° to 10° relative to the vertical direction. To summarize, any direction perpendicular to the substantially vertical direction (Z direction) is the first direction (Y direction), and the direction perpendicular to the substantially vertical direction (Z direction) and the first direction is the second direction (X direction). The direction in which the container moves and is received in the receiving section is the first direction (Y direction).

[0236] In the above-described embodiment, a leaf spring or an elastic member can be used instead of a plunger. However, a plunger is a specialized part used particularly for positioning and has advantages in terms of accuracy and durability during repeated use. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0237] 1,1A,1B,1C Transfer device, 2 Characteristic sorting device, 3 Characteristic sorting section, 4 Control unit, 10,10A,10B,10C Container, 20 Housing, 21 Main surface, 22 Transfer port, 30 Receiving section, 31 Base section, 32,32A,32B Wall section, 33 Tapered section, 40,340,440 Cover member, 41 Side wall section, 42 Top wall section, 43 Mesh section, 45,445 Interior, 46 First opening, 47 Second opening, 50 Other cover member, 60 Drive unit, 61 Cylinder, 70 Lid opening / closing section, 100,200,200A,300,400 Main body section, 101,201,301,401 Internal space, 102,202,302,402 Opening, 110, 210, 310, 410 Cover, 111 Flat part, 112 First projection, 113 Second projection, 114, 214 Rail fitting part, 115 Inclined surface, 120, 203, 306 Side part, 121, 305 Bottom part, 122 Rail part, 123 Handle, 130, 230, 330, 430 First locking mechanism, 131, 331, 431 First support, 132 First plunger, 140, 240 Second locking mechanism, 141 Hole, 142 Second plunger, 150 Switching mechanism, 151 Second support, 152 Inclined part, 203A, 306A Front, 203B, 306B Rear, 204 Projection, 205 Pin part, 206 Elastic part, 207 Inclined part, 208 Third inclined surface part, 211 Upper surface, 215 First inclined surface part, 216 Through hole, 217 Second inclined surface part, 231 Pillar member, 232,318,332 Elastic member, 233 Lower end, 305A, 432 Extended part, 307 Upper surface part, 308 Recessed part, 311 Hole, 334 1st protrusion, 335 2nd protrusion, 420 Hinge, P ceramic capacitor, P1 lower position, P2 upper position.

Claims

1. A container comprising a main body having an internal space capable of accommodating an object and an opening connected to the internal space, and a lid that opens and closes the opening, A housing provided with a transfer port through which the object is transferred, A receiving section fixed to the housing and receiving the container, The device includes a first locking mechanism that is movable between a locking position that locks the container received in the receiving section so that it cannot be removed from the receiving section, and an unlocking position that allows the container to be removed from the receiving section. When the container is received in the receiving section, and the lid is open, the internal space is in communication with the transfer port, and the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, preventing the container from being removed from the receiving section. A transfer device in which, when the container is received in the receiving section and the lid is closing the opening, the first locking mechanism moves to the unlocked position so that the container can be removed from the receiving section.

2. The first locking mechanism includes a first portion that, when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, is arranged alongside the main body or the lid in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. The main body or the lid includes a second portion that engages with the first portion in the first direction when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the first part and the second part engage with each other in the first direction, thereby restricting the movement of the main body or the lid relative to the housing in the first direction, and preventing the container from being removed from the receiving part. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is separated from the second portion in the substantially vertical direction, and the first locking mechanism moves to the unlocked position, thereby allowing the container to be removed from the receiving portion.

3. The housing further comprises a cover member connected to the transfer port and provided to cover the opening, The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein when the lid is open, the internal space communicates with the transfer port through the inside of the cover member.

4. The main body is positioned below the lid in the substantially vertical direction. The transfer device according to claim 3, wherein the opening is opened and closed by the sliding movement of the main body.

5. The tip of the cover member is positioned in the first direction alongside the lid when the container is placed on the receiving portion. The first locking mechanism includes, when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, a first support aligned with the lid in the first direction, on the side of the cover member opposite to the tip of the lid as viewed from the lid, The first portion is a part of the circumferential surface of the first support, The second portion is a part of the end face of the lid that faces a part of the circumferential surface of the first support in the first direction when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the lid is sandwiched between the tip of the cover member and the first support in the first direction, thereby restricting the movement of the lid relative to the housing in the first direction. The main body and the lid are connected to each other so as to be slidable in the first direction, thereby restricting the movement of the main body relative to the lid in the substantially vertical direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the substantially vertical direction and the first direction. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the opening is opened and closed as the main body slides relative to the lid in the first direction while the lid is in contact with the tip of the cover member. The first locking mechanism further includes a first plunger provided on the first support and which is extendable and retractable in the first direction, When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is open, the first plunger extends and engages with the lid, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position. The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is closing the opening, the main body is in contact with the first plunger, causing the first plunger to retract, thereby enabling the first locking mechanism to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

6. The tip of the cover member is positioned in the first direction alongside the lid when the container is placed on the receiving portion. The lid portion is provided with a through hole that penetrates in the substantially vertical direction. The first locking mechanism includes a column member that is inserted into the through hole in the substantially vertical direction when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position. The first part is a part of the outer surface of the column member, The second portion is a part of the inner circumferential surface of the through hole, When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, a portion of the lid is sandwiched between the column member inserted into the through hole and the tip of the cover member, thereby restricting the movement of the lid relative to the housing in the first direction. The main body and the lid are connected to each other so as to be slidable in the first direction, thereby restricting the movement of the main body relative to the lid in the substantially vertical direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the substantially vertical direction and the first direction. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the opening is opened and closed as the main body slides relative to the lid in the first direction while the lid is in contact with the tip of the cover member. The container is provided with an inclined surface portion that is inclined with respect to the first direction, When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is open, the column member is inserted through the through hole, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position. The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is closing the opening, the tip of the column member moves in the substantially vertical direction to a position where it can slide against the inclined surface, thereby enabling the first locking mechanism to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

7. The main body includes a bottom surface, a side surface erected from the bottom surface in a substantially vertical direction, and an upper surface facing the bottom surface in a substantially vertical direction. The aforementioned side portion is provided with the aforementioned opening, The upper surface portion is provided with a recess that is recessed in the substantially vertical direction, The tip of the cover member is movably provided so as to be positioned alongside the lid in the substantially vertical direction when the container is placed on the receiving portion. The first locking mechanism includes a first protrusion that engages with the recess when in the locked position, The first portion is a part of the outer circumferential surface of the first protrusion, The second portion is a part of the inner circumferential surface of the recess, When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the first protrusion engages with the recess, thereby restricting the movement of the main body relative to the housing in the first direction. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the lid slides in a substantially vertical direction relative to the main body, thereby opening and closing the opening. The first locking mechanism further includes a second protrusion that is indirectly connected to the lid portion in the substantially vertical direction via the tip of the cover member and moves in the substantially vertical direction in conjunction with the lid portion, When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is open, the second protrusion moves downward in the substantially vertical direction together with the lid, thereby restricting the movement of the first locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position. The transfer device according to claim 3, wherein when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is closing the opening, the second protrusion is positioned to be movable together with the lid in a substantially vertical upward direction, thereby enabling the first locking mechanism to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

8. The cover member extends so as to be inclined with respect to the first direction, The tip of the cover member is positioned in the first direction alongside the lid when the container is placed on the receiving portion. The container further includes a hinge portion that rotatably connects the lid portion to the main body portion, The first locking mechanism includes a first support that is movable so as to be positioned alongside the lid in the first direction when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position. The first portion is a part of the circumferential surface of the first support, The second portion is a part of the lid that faces a part of the circumferential surface of the first support in the first direction when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the lid is sandwiched between the cover member and the first support in the first direction, thereby restricting the movement of the lid relative to the housing in the first direction. When the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, the container is moved in the first direction such that the cover member is inserted between the main body and the lid from the side opposite to the side where the hinge is provided in the first direction, thereby causing the lid to rotate by the cover member and opening the opening. The transfer device according to claim 3, wherein when the first locking mechanism is in the locked position and the lid is closing the opening, the first support moves away from the lid so that the first locking mechanism is in a state where it can move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

9. The transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a second locking mechanism capable of fixing the relative position between the main body and the lid so that the opening is not opened.

10. The transfer device according to claim 9, further comprising a switching mechanism that can move toward and away from the second locking mechanism to switch between a locked state in which the second locking mechanism is activated and the relative position of the main body and the lid is fixed when the container is received in the receiving section, and an unlocked state in which the second locking mechanism is released and the relative position of the main body and the lid is released.

11. The switching mechanism is configured to be integrated with the first locking mechanism. When the second locking mechanism is in the unlocked state by the switching mechanism and the fixing between the main body and the lid is released, the first locking mechanism is in the locked position, making it impossible to remove the container from the receiving section. The transfer device according to claim 10, wherein when the second locking mechanism is in the locked state and the opening is closed, and the main body and the lid are fixed together, the first locking mechanism moves to the unlocked position, thereby allowing the container to be removed from the receiving section.

12. The housing further comprises a cover member connected to the transfer port and provided to cover the opening, The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein when the lid is open, the internal space communicates with the transfer port through the inside of the cover member.

13. A container comprising a main body having an internal space capable of accommodating an object and an opening connected to the internal space, and a lid that opens and closes the opening, A housing provided with a transfer port through which the object is transferred, A receiving section fixed to the housing and receiving the container, The housing comprises a cover member connected to the transfer port and provided to cover the opening, The lid is rotatably connected to the main body, thereby enabling the opening to be opened and closed. When the container is received in the receiving section, the tip of the cover member is positioned alongside the lid. The cover member extends so as to be inclined with respect to the direction in which the tip of the cover member and the lid portion are aligned, The cover member is inserted between the main body and the lid in the direction in which the container is moved in the direction in which it is moved, causing the lid to rotate by the cover member and open the opening. When the lid and the cover member are separated, the lid closes the opening. A transfer device in which, when the opening is open, the internal space communicates with the transfer port through the inside of the cover member.

Images