Conveyor and conveyor device

Abstract

To provide a self-traveling conveyance body capable of conveying an object stably.SOLUTION: A conveyance body includes a conveyance main body having a support part for supporting an object, a movable body held to be relatively movable in a vertical direction with respect to the conveyance main body, a first traveling part supported by the conveyance main body and stored inside a conveyance rail such that the first traveling part travels on any one of an inner surface of a top wall part or an inner surface of a flange part of the conveyance rail inside the conveyance rail, a second traveling part supported by the movable body and stored inside the conveyance rail such that the second traveling part travels on the other of the inner surface of the top wall part or the inner surface of the flange part of the conveyance rail inside the conveyance rail, a drive motor for rotatably driving at least one of the first traveling part and the second traveling part, and an energization member elastically acting on the conveyance main body and the movable body so as to energize the first traveling part and the second traveling part in a direction opposite to the vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyor and a conveying device for conveying objects along a conveying rail. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, various conveying devices have been used to convey an object (work material) from a first process execution location where one process is performed on the object to a second process execution location where another process is performed on the object.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a conveying device capable of stopping a conveying body at any position on a conveying rail. In the following paragraphs, the reference numerals of Patent Document 1 are indicated in parentheses. The conveying device (100) includes one or more conveying bodies (110) that convey objects to a predetermined position, a conveying rail (130) that extends along the conveying direction of the objects and includes a rail portion (131) along which the conveying body (110) runs, and a conveyor portion (135) that is attached to the rail portion (131) and rotates in the conveying direction. The conveying rail (130) includes a bottom wall portion (132) that extends longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side walls (140) that extend upward from both widthwise (short) edges of the bottom wall portion (132), and an opening (134) that opens between the pair of side walls (140). The conveyance body (110) includes a conveyance body main body (111), a support portion (112) for supporting an object, a running portion (113) for running the conveyance body main body (111) on the rail portion (131), a pressure contact member (115) supported by the conveyance body main body (111) and pressing against the conveyor portion (135) to connect the conveyance body main body (111) to the conveyor portion (135), and a control portion (116) for operating to release the pressure of the pressure contact member (115) against the conveyor portion (135).The conveyance body (110) runs within the opening (134) as the conveyor portion (135) is rotated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5878996 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The conveying device in Patent Document 1 has a drive unit provided on the conveying rail, and the conveyor travels along the conveying rail in response to the rotational drive of the conveyor unit. While this conveying device has the advantage of being able to stably convey objects and not requiring the supply of power to the conveying body, the problem is that the cost of installing the conveying rail increases the longer the conveying rail. Therefore, the inventors set out to develop a self-propelled conveying body and conveying device that can stably convey objects along the conveying rail without supplying power to the conveying rail.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a self-propelled transport body that can stably transport objects, and a transport device equipped with such a transport body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A conveying body according to one embodiment of the present invention is a conveying body that is suspended vertically from a conveying rail that extends along a conveying direction of an object and that runs on the conveying rail along the conveying direction, the conveying rail having a top wall portion that extends longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions that extend downward from both widthwise edges of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions that protrude inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The carrier is a carrier body having a support portion for supporting the object; a movable body held so as to be movable relative to the conveying body in a vertical direction; a first running section supported by the conveying body main body and housed inside the conveying rail, the first running section being configured to run on one of the inner surface of the top wall portion or the inner surface of the flange portion of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail; a second running section supported by the movable body and housed inside the conveying rail, the second running section configured to run inside the conveying rail on the other of the inner surface of the top wall section or the inner surface of the flange section of the conveying rail; a drive motor having a rotary drive shaft for rotating at least one of the first running section and the second running section; a biasing member that elastically acts on the conveying body main body and the movable body so as to bias the first traveling portion and the second traveling portion in opposite directions in a vertical direction; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0008] According to the conveying body of the present invention, the first and second running sections are biased in opposite vertical directions by the biasing member, causing the first and second running sections to press against the inner surface of the top wall and the inner surface of the flange of the conveying rail. In this pressed state, at least one of the first and second running sections is driven by the drive motor, causing the first and second running sections to travel on the inner surface of the conveying rail. Because the conveying body is elastically pressed against the conveying rail in both the up and down vertical directions, vibrations and the like are absorbed, allowing the conveying body to travel stably on the conveying rail without rattle. Therefore, the conveying body of the present invention enables stable transport of objects along the conveying rail without supplying power to the conveying rail.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the drive motor is fixed to the body and drives the first running part to rotate. That is, by supplying a rotational driving force to the body of the body that does not move, the structure of the body can be further simplified.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the conveying body further includes a transmission unit for transmitting the rotational force of the rotary drive shaft extending horizontally to the first running section, the transmission unit including a pair of pulleys spaced apart vertically and an endless belt wound around the pair of pulleys, the drive motor drives the first running section via the belt and the pair of pulleys, one of the pair of pulleys being integrally connected to a running wheel or drive wheel of the first running section. That is, by arranging the rotation shaft of the drive motor horizontally, the belt vertically, and integrating the pulley with the running wheel or drive wheel of the first running section, the conveying body can be made compact overall.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the first running section comprises a plurality of drive wheels that are rotationally driven together with the pulleys, and a conveyor belt wound around the plurality of drive wheels, the surface of the conveyor belt being in pressure contact with the inner surface of the conveyor rail, and the conveyor moves straight as the conveyor belt is rotated. In other words, by configuring the first running section from the drive wheels and the conveyor belt, the conveyor has stable straight running performance.

[0012] A further embodiment of the conveying body of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described conveying body, the first running portion is configured to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail, the second running portion is configured to run on the inner surface of the flange portion of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail, and the movable body is urged vertically downward by the urging member.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the movable body is provided with a pivot shaft extending vertically, and the second running part is capable of pivoting together with the pivot shaft. That is, since the second running part is capable of pivoting together with the pivot shaft, the conveyance body can travel on curved portions of the conveyance rail.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the conveyance body further includes an auxiliary running part supported rotatably about a rotation axis extending vertically relative to the conveyance body main body, the auxiliary running part running on the same inner surface of the conveyance rail as the first running part. That is, the auxiliary running part rotates together with the second running part, thereby enabling the conveyance body to stably run on the curved portion of the conveyance rail.

[0015] A further embodiment of the conveying body of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned conveying body, the front first running portion is configured to run on the inner surface of the flange portion of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail, the second running portion is configured to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail, and the movable body is urged vertically upward by the urging member.

[0016] A conveying device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a conveying rail extending along a conveying direction of an object, the conveying rail including a top wall portion extending longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions extending downward from both widthwise ends of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions projecting inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The conveying body according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is suspended vertically from the conveying rail through the opening and travels on the conveying rail along the conveying direction; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0017] A conveying device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a conveying rail extending along a conveying direction of an object, the conveying rail including a top wall portion extending longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions extending downward from both widthwise ends of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions projecting inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The conveying body according to any one of claims 6 to 8, which is suspended vertically from the conveying rail through the opening and travels on the conveying rail along the conveying direction; Equipped with At least a portion of the conveying rail is formed with a curved portion that is curved in an arc, and the conveying body runs along the curved portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The conveyor of the present invention is capable of stably conveying an object along a conveyor rail without supplying power to the conveyor rail. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a transport device according to one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the conveying device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conveyance body according to one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the carrier of FIG. 3; [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrier of FIG. 3; [Figure 6] 4A and 4B are right and left side views of the carrier of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG. 4 along the line AA. [Figure 8] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG. 4 . [Figure 9] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the conveying body shown in FIG. 6 along CC. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG. 6; [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the conveying body of FIG. 3 (the housing is omitted for convenience of explanation). [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a front view of the conveying device of FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of the conveying device shown in FIG. 12 . [Figure 14]14 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pressure contact between the inner surface of the conveyor rail and the first and second traveling portions is released in the conveyor device of FIG. 13. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a transport device according to one embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the transport device of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a conveying body according to one embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a front view of the carrier of FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 18 is a plan view of the carrier of FIG. [Figure 20] 18A and 18B are right and left side views of the carrier of FIG. 17. [Figure 21] 19 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier of FIG. 18 FF. [Figure 22] GG cross section of the carrier of FIG. 18. [Figure 23] 21 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG. 20; [Figure 24] 21 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG. 20; [Figure 25] FIG. 16 is a front view of the transport device of FIG. [Figure 26] 26 is a cross-sectional view of the conveying device shown in FIG. 25 . [Figure 27] 27 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pressure contact between the inner surface of the conveyor rail and the first and second running portions is released in the conveyor device of FIG. 26. FIG. [Figure 28] 10A and 10B are plan views showing a mode in which the conveyance body travels on a straight portion of the conveyance rail and a mode in which the conveyance body travels on a curved portion of the conveyance rail in the conveyance device of one embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the shapes of the drawings referred to in the following description are conceptual or schematic diagrams for explaining preferred shapes, and the dimensional ratios and the like do not necessarily correspond to the actual dimensional ratios. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the dimensional ratios in the drawings.

[0021] [First embodiment] A conveying device 10 and a conveying body 100 according to a first embodiment will now be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the conveying device 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the conveying device 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveying device 10 according to this embodiment includes a conveying rail 11 that is laid along a predetermined conveying path along which an object is conveyed and that is suspended in the air, and a conveying body 100 that supports the object and conveys it to a predetermined position along the conveying direction. The conveying body 100 is suspended vertically from the conveying rail 11 that extends along the conveying direction of the object and travels on the conveying rail 11 along the conveying direction. In this conveying device 10, the conveying body 100 is used to convey the object along the conveying rail 11 from one process location where a first process is performed to another process location where a second process is performed, so that multiple processes are performed on the work material included in the conveyed object. In this example, the conveyed object is a box 13 and its contents (not shown), as well as an arm 14 that grips the box 13. The object to be transported may be of any type.

[0022] First, the conveyor rail 11 constituting the conveyor device 10 of this embodiment will be described. The conveyor rail 11 includes a top wall portion 11a extending longitudinally along the conveyance direction, a pair of side wall portions 11b hanging downward from both edges of the top wall portion 11a in the width (short side) direction, and an opening portion 11d opening downward between the pair of side wall portions 11b. An inwardly projecting flange portion 11c is formed at the open end of each side wall portion 11b. The opening portion 11d extends between the pair of flange portions 11c. The distance between the pair of flange portions 11c extending in the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction) is large enough to allow the conveyor body main body 110 and the movable body 120 (described later) to pass through, and corresponds to the position of a pair of running wheels 123a, 123a forming the second running portion 123. In other words, the opening portion 11d has a width large enough to accommodate the conveyor body 100. Furthermore, a plurality of brackets (not shown) are fixed to the conveying rail 11 directly or indirectly to a building, and the conveying rail 11 is suspended and supported in the air via the plurality of brackets. In the first embodiment, the conveying rail 11 is configured to be linear, but it may also be gently curved within a range in which the conveying body 100 can travel.

[0023] Next, the conveying body 100 constituting the conveying device 10 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the conveying body 100. Fig. 4 is a front view of the conveying body 100. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the conveying body 100. Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) are right and left side views of the conveying body 100. Figs. 7 to 10 are cross-sectional views of various parts of the conveying body 100. Fig. 11 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the conveying body 100 with the housing omitted.

[0024] The conveyance body 100 includes a conveyance body main body 110 having a support portion 111 for supporting an object, a movable body 120 held so as to be movable relative to the conveyance body main body 110 in a vertical direction, a first running portion 113 supported by the conveyance body main body 110, housed inside the conveyance rail 11, and configured to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion 11a of the conveyance rail 11, a second running portion 123 supported by the movable body 120, housed inside the conveyance rail 11, and configured to run on the inner surface of the flange portion 11c of the conveyance rail 11, a drive motor 130 for rotationally driving the first running portion 113, and a spring (biasing member) 140 that elastically acts on the conveyance body main body 110 and the movable body 120 so as to bias the first running portion 113 and the second running portion 123 in opposite vertical directions. The rotational driving force of the drive motor 130 is transmitted to the first running portion 113 via a transmission portion 112.

[0025] The conveyor body 110 has a housing in which various components are housed. The conveyor body 110 is composed of a lower portion 110a located at the bottom, an upright portion 110b standing vertically from the lower portion 110a, and an upper portion 110c extending horizontally from the top of the upright portion 110b. In other words, the conveyor body 110 and the drive motor 130 have a compact overall shape that is U-shaped when viewed from the front.

[0026] The lower portion 110a of the conveyor body 110 is formed in a rectangular box shape. The lower portion 110a is provided with a support portion 111 for suspending and supporting an object to be conveyed. Here, the support portion 111 is a portion to which an arm 14 for gripping a box 13 is fixed (i.e., the front and rear side plates of the conveyor body 110 having screw holes). A drive motor 130 is attached to the side plate on the right side of the lower portion 110a when viewed from the front. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the inside of the lower portion 110a is provided with a rotary drive shaft 131 and a main gear 132 of the drive motor 130, as well as a driven gear 112a, a rotary shaft 112b, a first pulley 112c, and a part of a belt 112e that constitute the transmission unit 112. The upright portion 110b of the conveyor body 110 is formed in a columnar shape extending vertically. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a portion of the belt 112e constituting the transmission unit 112 is disposed inside the upright portion 110b. The upper portion 110c of the conveyor body 110 extends horizontally from the upper end of the upright portion 110b to the right in a front view. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a portion of the belt 112e, the second pulley 112d, and the first running portion 113 are held inside the upper portion 110c. The upper portion 110c has a U-shape that opens upward in cross section, and houses the first running portion 113 in a state where it is exposed vertically upward.

[0027] In addition, a pair of vertical shafts 115 extend vertically downward from the lower surface of the bottom wall of the upper portion 110c of the conveying body main body 110. The pair of vertical shafts 115 are fixed to the bottom wall of the upper portion 110c. As will be described later, the pair of vertical shafts 115 function to guide the vertical sliding of the movable body 120. A horizontal plate 116 is fixed to the lower ends of the pair of vertical shafts 115 and connected to them. The horizontal plate 116 can function as a handle that the user can grasp with their hands.

[0028] The first running section 113 comprises at least two (here, two) drive wheels 113a and 113b arranged horizontally, and a conveyor belt 113c wound around the drive wheels 113a and 113b and extending horizontally. The first and second drive wheels 113a and 113b are configured to rotate and drive the endless conveyor belt 113c. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first drive wheel 113a on the base end side is integrally formed with the second pulley 112d of the transmission section 112 so as to be coaxially rotatable. In other words, the first drive wheel 113a rotates together with the second pulley 112d, which is driven to rotate. The surface of the conveyor belt 113c and the inner surface (lower surface) of the top portion 111c of the conveyor rail 11 are in pressure contact with each other, and the conveyor 100 moves straight along the conveyor rail 11 as the conveyor belt 113c is rotated. This configuration provides the first running section 113 with the advantage of excellent straight-line stability.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 7, the drive motor 130 has a rotary drive shaft 131 that is rotated by an external supply of electric power, and a main gear 132 provided at the tip of the rotary drive shaft 131. Since the drive motor 130 is a general motor, the internal structure of the drive motor 130 and the means for supplying electric power to the drive motor 130 (such as a cable) are not shown in Fig. 8. The main gear 132 is configured to mesh with a driven gear 112a of the transmission part 112. The main gear 132 and the driven gear 112a are configured as bevel gears that mesh with each other, and convert the rotational drive force of the rotary drive shaft 131 that extends horizontally into rotational force in a perpendicular direction.

[0030] 7 to 9, the transmission unit 112 is composed of a driven gear 112a, a rotating shaft 112b to which one end of the driven gear 112a is fixed, a first pulley 112c fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft 112b, a second pulley 112d disposed vertically spaced apart from the first pulley 112c, and a belt 112e wound around the pair of pulleys 112c, 112d and extending longitudinally in the vertical direction. FIG. 11 illustrates the interrelationship between the rotary drive shaft 131, the driving gear 132, and the transmission unit 112. That is, when power is supplied to the drive motor 130 to rotate the rotary drive shaft 131, the driven gear 112a rotates in accordance with the rotation of the driving gear 132. The rotation of the driven gear 112a rotates the rotary shaft 112b, which is perpendicular to the rotary drive shaft 131 and extends in the horizontal direction (front-rear direction), and the first pulley 112c rotates along with the rotation of the rotary shaft 112b. The rotation of the first pulley 112c then drives the endless belt 112e to rotate, and the second pulley 112d rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 112e. The first drive wheel 113a of the first running part 113, which is integrated with the second pulley 112d, then drives the first running part 113 to rotate. The rotation of the first drive wheel 113a then drives the second drive wheel 113b and the conveyor belt 113c to rotate. Therefore, a rotational driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 130 to the first running part 113 via the transmission part 112, and the first running part 113 is driven to run on the conveyor rail 11.

[0031] The movable body 120 is held so as to be movable relative to the conveyance body main body 110 in the vertical direction. The movable body 120 includes a block-shaped base 121 extending longitudinally in the horizontal direction from left to right in a front view, and a second running portion 123 supported by the base 121. The movable body 120 is disposed between the top end (lower portion 110a) and the bottom end (upper portion 110c) of the conveyance body main body 110. As shown in FIG. 10, the base 121 is formed with a pair of through-holes for a pair of vertical shafts 115, 115. The pair of vertical shafts 115, 115 are inserted through the pair of through-holes. In addition, a through-hole is formed near the end of the base end side (left side in a front view) of the base 121, through which a part of the erected portion 110b of the conveyance body main body 110 is inserted. In particular, the belt 112e of the conveyance body main body 110 is inserted through the through-hole. Furthermore, the through-hole does not allow the housing portion of the standing portion 110b to pass through. That is, the abutment portion 117 at the upper edge of the housing portion abuts against the peripheral edge of the through-hole, thereby partially restricting the vertical downward movement of the movable body 120. That is, the movable body 120 is held movably relative to the conveyance body main body 110 via the pair of vertical shafts 115 and a part of the standing portion 110b so as to be slidable within a predetermined range up and down in the vertical direction.

[0032] Each through-hole of the base 121 has an expanded diameter at its upper portion, thereby forming a stepped portion 122. A spring 140, which is a biasing member, is housed in the expanded diameter portion. A pair of springs 140 is disposed around each of the pair of vertical shafts 115. The upper ends of the springs 140 abut against the lower surface of the upper portion 110c of the conveying body main body 110, and the lower ends of the springs 140 abut against the upper surface of the stepped portion 122. In other words, the stepped portion 122 is a biased portion that is biased by the spring 140 in a direction away from the conveying body main body 110. The spring 140 is disposed in a constantly compressed state relative to its original shape, and elastically acts on the conveying body main body 110 and the movable body 120.

[0033] The second running part 123 is configured as two pairs of running wheels 123a. The two pairs of running wheels 123a are rotatably supported near both ends of the base part 121 of the movable body 120 in the longitudinal direction. The running wheels 123a are attached to the side surfaces on the front and rear sides of the base part 121. The running wheels 123a are also arranged so as to be able to run on the inner surface (upper surface) of the flange part 11c of the conveyor rail 11. Furthermore, since power is not directly supplied to the second running part 123, the running wheels 123a of the second running part 123 rotate on the inner surface of the flange part 11c in accordance with the drive of the first running part 113.

[0034] In the conveyor 100, the spring 140 elastically acts on the conveyor body 110 and the movable body 120, thereby biasing the first running portion 113 and the second running portion 123 in opposite vertical directions. When the conveyor 100 is in its original shape, the movable body 120 is engaged with the abutment portion 117 of the conveyor body 110, and the distance L1 between the upper end of the first running portion 113 (the abutment surface of the conveyor belt) and the lower end of the second running portion 123 (the abutment surface of the running wheel 123a) is at its maximum. This maximum distance L1 is greater than the distance L2 between the inner surface of the top wall portion 11a and the inner surface of the flange portion 11c of the conveyor rail 11. Meanwhile, the movable body 120 is vertically slidable toward the upper portion 110c of the conveyor body 110 so that the distance L1 is smaller than the distance L2.

[0035] Next, the conveying device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. Fig. 12 is a front view of the conveying device 10. Fig. 13 is an E-E cross-sectional view of the conveying device 10.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , in the conveying device 10, the conveying body 100 is suspended from the conveying rail 11 and can travel on the conveying rail 11 in the conveying direction of the object. More specifically, an upper portion 110c of the conveying body main body 110 and a part of the base portion 121 of the movable body 120 are disposed inside the conveying rail 11. Another portion of the conveying body 100 is disposed below the conveying rail 11 through an opening 11d of the conveying rail 11. The first running portion 113 and the second running portion 123 are pressed against the inner surface of the conveying rail 11 by the elastic restoring force of the spring 140 inside the conveying rail 11. In particular, the conveyor belt 113c of the first running portion 113 is pressed against the inner surface of the top wall portion 11a of the conveying rail 11, and the running wheel 123a of the second running portion 123 is pressed against the inner surface of the flange portion 11c of the conveying rail 11. This spring 140 biases the movable body 120 vertically downward relative to the conveying body main body 110, and can also function as a damper that absorbs vibrations when the conveying body 100 is traveling. That is, the first running portion 113 is configured to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion 11a of the conveying rail 11 inside the conveying rail 11, and the second running portion 123 is configured to run on the inner surface of the flange portion 11c of the conveying rail 11 inside the conveying rail 11. Therefore, the conveying body 100 can stably travel on the conveying rail 11 using the power of the drive motor 130.

[0037] FIG. 14 also shows a state in which the traveling conveyance body 100 has been manually stopped. As shown in FIG. 14, the user can grip the horizontal plate 116 and push the conveyance body main body 110 vertically downward, thereby bringing the first running section 113 and the second running section 123 closer to each other and releasing the pressure contact between the first running section 113 and the inner surface of the conveyance rail 11. This operation temporarily moves the first running section 113, which is driven to rotate by the drive motor 130, away from the inner surface of the conveyance rail 11 while the conveyance body 100 is traveling. The first running section 113 then rotates freely in place, and the conveyance body 100 stops at a predetermined position without cutting off the power of the drive motor 130. At this time, the user can freely move the conveyance body 100 back and forth along the conveyance rail 11 while gripping the horizontal plate 116.

[0038] The following describes the effects of the conveyance body 100 (conveyance device 10) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] According to the conveyance body 100 (conveyance device 10) of one embodiment of the present invention, the first running portion 113 and the second running portion 123 are biased in opposite vertical directions by the spring 140, which is a biasing member, so that the first running portion 113 and the second running portion 123 are pressed against the inner surface of the top wall portion 11a and the inner surface of the flange portion 11c of the conveyance rail 11, respectively. In this pressed state, the first running portion 113 is driven by the drive motor 130, so that the first and second running portions 113, 123 travel on the inner surface of the conveyance rail 11. Because the conveyance body 100 is elastically pressed against the conveyance rail 11 above and below in the vertical direction, vibrations and the like are absorbed, allowing the conveyance body 100 to stably travel on the conveyance rail 11 without rattle. Therefore, the conveyance body 100 and the conveyance device 10 of this embodiment can stably transport objects along the conveyance rail 11 without supplying power to the conveyance rail 11.

[0040] [Second embodiment] A conveying device 20 and a conveying body 200 of the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, components that share the last two digits of a three-digit code with the first embodiment and components that share the last digit of a two-digit code have the same or similar features unless otherwise specified. Some descriptions of the common components will be omitted.

[0041] Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view of the conveying device 20 of this embodiment. Fig. 16 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the conveying device 20. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the conveying device 20 of the second embodiment includes a conveying rail 21 that is laid along a predetermined conveying path along which an object (not shown) is conveyed and that is suspended in the air, and a conveying body 200 that supports the object and conveys it to a predetermined position along the conveying direction. The conveying body 200 is suspended vertically from the conveying rail 21 that extends along the conveying direction of the object, and runs on the conveying rail 21 along the conveying direction.

[0042] First, the conveyor rail 21 constituting the conveyor device 20 of this embodiment will be described. The conveyor rail 21 includes a top wall 21a extending longitudinally along the conveyance direction, a pair of side walls 21b hanging downward from both edges of the top wall 21a in the width (short side) direction, and an opening 21d opening downward between the pair of side walls 21b. An inwardly projecting flange 21c is formed at the open end of each side wall 21b. That is, the opening 21d extends between the pair of flanges 21c. The distance between the pair of flanges 21c extending in the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction) is large enough to allow the conveyor body main body 210 and the movable body 220 (described later) to pass through, and corresponds to the positions of the pair of first running wheels 213a, 213a constituting the first running section 213 and the auxiliary running wheel 218a of the auxiliary running section 218. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the conveyor rail 21 is configured to be curved.

[0043] Next, the carrier 200 constituting the carrier device 20 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the carrier 200. Fig. 18 is a front view of the carrier 200. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the carrier 200. Figs. 20(a) and 20(b) are right and left side views of the carrier 200. Figs. 21 to 24 are cross-sectional views of various parts of the carrier 200.

[0044] The conveyance body 200 includes a conveyance body main body 210 having a support portion 211 for supporting an object, a movable body 220 held so as to be movable relative to the conveyance body main body 210 in a vertical direction, a first running portion 213 supported by the conveyance body main body 210, housed inside the conveyance rail 21, and configured to run on the inner surface of the flange portion 21c of the conveyance rail 21, a second running portion 223 supported by the movable body 220, housed inside the conveyance rail 21, and configured to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a of the conveyance rail 21, a drive motor 230 for rotationally driving the first running portion 213, and a spring (biasing member) 240 that elastically acts on the conveyance body main body 210 and the movable body 220 so as to bias the first running portion 213 and the second running portion 223 in opposite vertical directions. The rotational driving force of the drive motor 230 is transmitted to the first running portion 213 via a transmission portion 212.

[0045] The conveying body main body 210 has a housing in which various components are housed. The conveying body main body 210 is composed of a lower portion 210a located at the bottom, an upright portion 210b standing vertically from the lower portion 210a, and an upper portion 210c extending horizontally from the middle of the upright portion 210b. The configurations of the lower portion 210a, the transmission unit 212, and the drive motor 230 of the conveying body main body 210 are the same as those of the first embodiment (see FIG. 11).

[0046] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, the lower portion 210a of the conveyance body main body 210 contains the rotary drive shaft 231 and main drive gear 232 of the drive motor 230, as well as the driven gear 212a, rotary shaft 212b, first pulley 212c, and part of the belt 212e that constitute the transmission unit 212. The upright portion 210b of the conveyance body main body 210 is formed in a columnar shape extending vertically. As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the upright portion 210b contains part of the belt 212e and second pulley 212d that constitute the transmission unit 212. The upper portion 210c of the conveyance body main body 210 extends horizontally from approximately the middle of the upright portion 210b to the right in a front view.

[0047] Furthermore, a hollow rectangular cylindrical holder 214 for holding the movable body 220 is provided in the upper portion 210c of the conveying body main body 210. A first through-hole that penetrates vertically is formed in the base end portion of the holder 214. An auxiliary running part 218 is rotatably supported in the tip portion of the holder 214 via a rotation shaft 217 that extends vertically. Furthermore, a horizontal plate 216 is provided below the first through-hole of the holder 214. A second through-hole with a smaller diameter that communicates with the first through-hole of the holder 214 is formed in the horizontal plate 216.

[0048] The first running unit 213 is configured as a pair of first running wheels 213a. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the pair of first running wheels 213a, 213a are integrally formed so as to be coaxially rotatable with the second pulley 212d. That is, the first running wheels 213a rotate together with the rotationally driven second pulley 212d. The surface of the first running wheels 213a is in pressure contact with the inner surface of the flange portion 21c of the conveyor rail 21, and the conveyor 200 is configured to run on the conveyor rail 21 as the first running wheels 213a are rotated. Therefore, a rotational driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 230 to the first running unit 213 via the transmission unit 212, and the first running unit 213 is driven to run on the conveyor rail 21.

[0049] The auxiliary running part 228 is pivotally supported by the holding part 214 via a rotation shaft 217 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The auxiliary running part 228 includes a pair of auxiliary running wheels 218a, 218a. The pair of auxiliary running wheels 218a, 218a are rotatably supported by an auxiliary swivel shaft 218b. The pair of auxiliary running wheels 218a, 218a are located on the same horizontal plane as the pair of first running wheels 213a, and are configured to be able to run on the inner surfaces of the pair of flange parts 21c, 21c of the conveyor rail 21.

[0050] The movable body 220 is held so as to be movable relative to the conveyance body main body 210 in the vertical direction. The movable body 220 includes a pivot shaft 221 extending in the vertical direction and a second running part 223 supported at the tip of the pivot shaft 221. The movable body 220 is held by a holding part 214 of the conveyance body main body 210. As shown in FIG. 24 , the pivot shaft 221 of the movable body 220 is disposed so as to pass through both the holding part 214 and the through-hole of the horizontal plate 216. The movable body 220 is freely rotatable about the pivot shaft 221 and is slidable in the axial direction (vertical direction). A portion of the lower side of the pivot shaft 221 is tapered to form a step part 221a having a contact surface facing downward. A protruding part 221b is formed at the lower end of the pivot shaft 221. The protruding portion 221b is located below the horizontal plate 216 and prevents the pivot shaft 221 from coming out of the through-hole in the vertically upward direction. That is, the movable body 220 is held movably relative to the conveying body main body 210 so as to be slidable within a predetermined range up and down in the vertical direction.

[0051] A spring 240 serving as a biasing member is disposed around the narrow portion below the stepped portion 221a of the pivot shaft 221. The spring 240 can pass through the first through-hole of the holding portion 214 but cannot pass through the second through-hole of the horizontal plate 216. The upper end of the spring 240 abuts against the lower surface of the stepped portion 221a of the pivot shaft 221, and the lower end of the spring 240 abuts against the upper surface of the horizontal plate 216. In other words, the stepped portion 221a is a biased portion that is biased by the spring 240 in a direction away from the conveying body main body 210. The spring 240 is disposed in a state that is constantly compressed from its original shape, and elastically acts on the conveying body main body 210 and the movable body 220.

[0052] The second running part 223 is configured as a pair of running wheels 223a. The pair of running wheels 223a are rotatably supported at the tip of the pivot shaft 221 of the movable body 220. The pair of running wheels 223a can rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pivot shaft 221. The pair of running wheels 223a are arranged so as to be able to run on the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a of the conveyor rail 21. Furthermore, since power is not directly supplied to the second running part 223, the second running wheels 223a of the second running part 223 rotate on the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a in accordance with the drive of the first running part 213.

[0053] In the conveyance body 200, the spring 240 elastically acts on the conveyance body main body 210 and the movable body 220, thereby biasing the first running portion 213 and the second running portion 223 in opposite vertical directions. When the conveyance body 200 is in its original shape, the protruding portion 221b of the movable body 220 is engaged with the horizontal plate 216 of the conveyance body main body 210, and the distance L1 between the lower end of the first running portion 213 (the contact surface of the first running wheel 213a) and the upper end of the second running portion 223 (the contact surface of the second running wheel 223a) is at its maximum. The maximum distance L1 is greater than the distance L2 between the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a and the inner surface of the flange portion 21c of the conveyance rail 21. Meanwhile, the movable body 220 is slidable vertically downward relative to the conveyance body main body 210 so that the distance L1 is smaller than the distance L2.

[0054] Next, the transport device 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. Figure 25 is a front view of the transport device 20. Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the transport device 20 taken along line JJ.

[0055] 25 and 26, in the conveying device 20, the conveying body 200 is suspended from the conveying rail 21 and can travel on the conveying rail 21 in the conveying direction of the object. More specifically, a part of the erected portion 210b of the conveying body main body 210 and a part of the pivot shaft 221 of the movable body 220 are disposed inside the conveying rail 21. The other part of the conveying body 200 is disposed below the conveying rail 21 through an opening 21d in the conveying rail 21. The first running part 213, the second running part 223, and the auxiliary running wheel 218a are pressed against the inner surface of the conveying rail 21 by the elastic return force of the spring 240 inside the conveying rail 21. In particular, the first running wheel 213a and the auxiliary running wheel 218a of the first running part 213 are pressed against the inner surface of the flange portion 21c of the conveyor rail 21, and the second running wheel 223a of the second running part 223 is pressed against the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a of the conveyor rail 21. The spring 240 biases the movable body 220 vertically upward relative to the conveyor body main body 210, and can also function as a damper that absorbs vibrations when the conveyor body 200 travels. That is, the first running part 213 is configured to travel on the inner surface of the flange portion 21c of the conveyor rail 21 inside the conveyor rail 21, and the second running part 223 is configured to travel on the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a of the conveyor rail 21 inside the conveyor rail 21. Therefore, the conveyor body 200 can stably travel on the conveyor rail 21 using the power of the drive motor 230.

[0056] FIG. 27 also shows a state in which the traveling conveyance body 200 has been manually stopped. As shown in FIG. 27, the user can manually push the conveyance body main body 210 vertically upward, thereby bringing the first running section 213 and the second running section 223 closer to each other and releasing the pressure contact between the first running section 213 and the inner surface of the conveyance rail 21. This operation temporarily moves the first running section 213, which is driven to rotate by the drive motor 230, away from the inner surface of the conveyance rail 21 while the conveyance body 200 is traveling. The first running section 213 then rotates freely in place, and the conveyance body 200 stops at a predetermined position without cutting off the power of the drive motor 230. At this time, the user can operate the conveyance body main body 210 to freely move the conveyance body 200 back and forth along the conveyance rail 21.

[0057] Furthermore, in the conveyance device 20 of the second embodiment, at least a portion of the conveyance rail 21 has a curved portion that is curved in an arc shape. As shown in FIG. 28(a), when the conveyance body 200 travels along the straight portion of the conveyance rail 21, the first running portion 213, the second running portion 223, and the auxiliary running portion 218 are aligned in the linear direction. As shown in FIG. 28(b), when the conveyance body 200 travels along the curved portion of the conveyance rail 21, the second running portion 223 and the auxiliary running portion 218 revolve and rotate along the curved portion of the conveyance rail 21. That is, the conveyance body 200 can travel along the curved conveyance path by rotating the auxiliary running portion 218 and turning the second running wheel 223a and the auxiliary running wheel 218a.

[0058] The following describes the effects of the conveyance body 200 (conveyance device 20) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] According to the conveyance body 200 (conveyance device 20) of one embodiment of the present invention, the first running portion 213 and the second running portion 223 are biased in opposite vertical directions by the spring 240, which is a biasing member, so that the first running portion 213 and the second running portion 223 are pressed against the inner surface of the flange portion 21c and the inner surface of the top wall portion 21a of the conveyance rail 21, respectively. In this pressed state, the first running portion 213 is driven by the drive motor 230, so that the first and second running portions 213, 223 travel on the inner surface of the conveyance rail 21. Because the conveyance body 200 is elastically pressed against the conveyance rail 21 above and below in the vertical direction, vibrations and the like are absorbed, allowing the conveyance body 200 to stably travel on the conveyance rail 21 without rattle. Therefore, the conveyance body 200 and the conveyance device 20 of this embodiment can stably transport objects along the conveyance rail 21 without supplying power to the conveyance rail 21.

[0060] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible. Several modifications of the present invention will be described below.

[0061] The form of the conveyor rail of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the inner surface and running part of the conveyor rail may be a rack and pinion, and the conveyor may travel by meshing gear teeth. In this way, the use of a rack and pinion is advantageous for the movement of the conveyor when the conveyor path is laid in an inclined or vertical direction.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the power of the drive motor is supplied to the first traveling section of the transport body, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a small battery-powered drive motor may be directly connected to the second traveling section of the movable body. Also, power may be supplied from the drive motor to both the first and second traveling sections.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the rotational driving force of the drive motor is transmitted to the first running part of the conveying body via a transmission unit including a pair of pulleys and a belt, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the transmission unit may have a different form or may be omitted.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the transport rails are arranged along a horizontal plane, but the transport rails may be arranged along a vertical plane or an inclined plane.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and can be implemented in various forms within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10,20 Conveyor device 11,21 Transport rail 11a,21a Top wall part 11b,21b Side wall part 11c, 21c flange 11d,21d opening 13,22 Box (part of the object) 14,24 Arm (part of the object) 100,200 carriers 110,210 Carrier body 110a,210a Lower part 110b,210b Erected part 110c,210c upper part 111,211 Support part 112,212 Transmission section 112a, 212a Driven gear 112b, 212b Rotation axis 112c, 212c 1st pulley 112d, 212d 2nd pulley 112e,212e Belt 113 First Running Section 113a 1st drive wheel 113b Second drive wheel 113c Conveyor Belt 115 Vertical Shaft 116 Horizontal plate (handle) 117 Contact part 213 First Running Section 213a First running wheel 214 Holding part 216 Horizontal Plate 217 Rotating shaft 218 Auxiliary running unit 218a Auxiliary running wheel 218b Auxiliary pivot 120 Movable body 121 Base 122 Step 123 Second Running Section 123a Running wheel 220 Movable body 221 Swivel axis 221a Step 221b protruding part 223 Second Running Section 223a Second running wheel 130,230 Drive motor 131,231 Rotating drive shaft 132,232 Main gear 140,240 Spring (biasing member)

Claims

1. A conveying body is suspended vertically from a conveying rail extending along a conveying direction of an object and travels on the conveying rail along the conveying direction, the conveying rail having a top wall portion extending longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions extending downward from both end edges in a width direction of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions protruding inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The carrier is a carrier body having a support portion for supporting the object; a movable body held so as to be movable relative to the conveying body in a vertical direction; a first running section supported by the conveying body main body and housed inside the conveying rail, the first running section being configured to run on an inner surface of the top wall section of the conveying rail inside the conveying rail; a second running section supported by the movable body and housed inside the conveyor rail, the second running section configured to run on an inner surface of the flange portion of the conveyor rail inside the conveyor rail; a drive motor having a rotation drive shaft, fixed to the conveying body body, for rotationally driving the first traveling part; a biasing member that elastically acts on the conveying body main body and the movable body so as to bias the movable body vertically downward relative to the conveying body main body in order to bias the first running portion and the second running portion in opposite directions in a vertical direction; a handle secured to the carrier body and extending vertically downward from the carrier body, the handle configured to be grasped by a user; Equipped with A conveying body characterized in that the user operates the handle to push the conveying body body vertically downward, thereby bringing the first running portion and the second running portion closer together, releasing the pressure between the first running portion and the inner surface of the conveying rail, and temporarily separating the first running portion, which is rotated by the drive motor, from the inner surface of the conveying rail.

2. the conveying body further includes a transmission unit for transmitting the rotational force of the rotation drive shaft extending in a horizontal direction to the first traveling unit, the power transmission unit includes a pair of pulleys spaced apart in a vertical direction, and an endless belt wound around the pair of pulleys, The conveying body described in claim 1, characterized in that the drive motor drives the first running part via the belt and the pair of pulleys, one of the pair of pulleys being integrally connected to the drive wheel of the first running part.

3. The conveyor according to claim 2, characterized in that the first running section comprises a plurality of drive wheels that are driven to rotate together with the pulleys, and a conveyor belt wound around the plurality of drive wheels, the surface of the conveyor belt being in pressure contact with the inner surface of the conveyor rail, and the conveyor moves in a straight line as the conveyor belt is driven to rotate.

4. 2. The transport body according to claim 1, wherein the movable body has a pivot shaft extending in a vertical direction, and the second running part is capable of pivoting together with the pivot shaft.

5. The conveying body described in claim 4, further comprising an auxiliary running section supported rotatably around a rotation axis extending vertically relative to the conveying body main body, the auxiliary running section running on the same inner surface of the conveying rail as the first running section.

6. a conveying rail extending along a conveying direction of an object, the conveying rail including a top wall portion extending longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions extending downward from both end edges in a width direction of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions protruding inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The conveying body according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is suspended vertically from the conveying rail through the opening and travels on the conveying rail along the conveying direction; A conveying device comprising:

7. a conveying rail extending along a conveying direction of an object, the conveying rail including a top wall portion extending longitudinally along the conveying direction, a pair of side wall portions extending downward from both end edges in a width direction of the top wall portion, a pair of flange portions protruding inward from the pair of side wall portions, and an opening formed between the pair of flange portions; The conveying body according to claim 4 or 5, which is suspended vertically from the conveying rail through the opening and travels on the conveying rail along the conveying direction; Equipped with A conveying device characterized in that at least a portion of the conveying rail is formed with a curved portion that is curved in an arc, and the conveying body runs along the curved portion.

Images