Transport vehicle

Abstract

To provide a transport vehicle that can stably hold and transport a container with its opening facing diagonally upward.SOLUTION: A transport vehicle includes a holding device (30) that holds a container (7) that includes a pair of supported portions (73E) and a pressed portion (73). The holding device (30) includes a pair of support portions that respectively support the pair of supported portions (73E), and a pressing portion (35) that presses the pressed portion (73). The support portions have an inclined support surface, and the pressing portion (35) has an inclined pressing surface (35a).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, in semiconductor manufacturing plants and the like, transport vehicles are used to transport containers that store wafers, reticles, and the like. An example of such a transport vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-163001 (Patent Document 1). The transport vehicle (transport device 100) in Patent Document 1 is a ceiling transport vehicle that runs along rails installed on the ceiling and is equipped with a holding device (gripper device 10) that suspends and holds a container (storage container 50). The holding device is configured to support a pair of supported portions (flange portions 51) provided on the container with a pair of support portions (gripping portions 20) in a state in which a pressing portion (center cone 13) presses from above against spherical pressed portions (insertion holes 51a) provided on the container.

[0003] Incidentally, open-type containers called open cassettes, which do not have a lid to seal the opening, are sometimes used as containers to be transported by transport vehicles. Such open-type containers are sometimes transported with the loading / unloading opening facing diagonally upward to prevent the contents from falling out. The pair of support members provided in the holding device of the transport vehicle in Patent Document 1 have horizontal support surfaces facing vertically upward, and no consideration is given to transporting containers at an angle. Furthermore, in the holding device of the transport vehicle in Patent Document 1, simply tilting the support surfaces of the pair of support members makes it difficult to stably hold and transport containers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-163001 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a transport vehicle that can stably hold and transport a container with its opening facing diagonally upward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The transport vehicle according to the present disclosure includes: A transport vehicle for transporting a container having a pair of a supported portion and a pressed portion, a holding device for holding the container; The holding device a pair of supporting portions that respectively support the pair of supported portions; a holding drive unit that changes the position of the pair of support units between a holding position in which the support units hold the container and a holding release position in which the support units release the container; a pressing portion that presses the pressed portion, the supporting portion has an inclined supporting surface, and the inclined supporting surface supports the supported surface of the supported portion; the pressing portion has an inclined pressing surface, and the inclined pressing surface presses the pressed surface of the pressed portion; The inclined pressing surface is provided so as to be parallel to the pressed surface in a state in which the supported surface is supported by the inclined support surface.

[0007] According to this configuration, by placing the pair of support parts in a holding position, the pair of inclined support surfaces support the supported surface of the supported part, and the container can be supported in a position where the opening for inserting and removing the contents faces diagonally upward. In this case, the inclined pressing surface, which is parallel to the pressed surface when the supported surface is supported by the inclined support surfaces of the support parts, can press the pressed surface from a direction perpendicular to the pressed surface. This allows the parallel inclined support surfaces and inclined pressing surfaces to hold the container from both above and below. Therefore, the container can be stably held and transported with the opening of the container facing diagonally upward.

[0008] Further features and advantages of the techniques according to the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] Front view of the transport vehicle [Figure 3] Front view of the container [Figure 4] Side view of the container [Figure 5] Plan view of the holding device [Figure 6] Front view of the holding device [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in the posture of the support portion and the shielding member; [Figure 8] Plan view of the holding device [Figure 9] Side view of the holding device [Figure 10] Front view of the holding device [Figure 11] Front view (partial cross section) showing the structure of the pressure support mechanism and the detection device [Figure 12] A side view (partial cross section) showing the structure of the pressure support mechanism and the detection device DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a transport vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. Transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is used to transport containers 7, for example, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, transport vehicle 1 includes a running unit 2 that runs along a travel path, and a transfer mechanism 3 connected to running unit 2. In this embodiment, the travel path of transport vehicle 1 is physically formed by rails 92 suspended and supported from a ceiling 91. In other words, transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a ceiling transport vehicle that moves along rails 92 formed along the ceiling 91.

[0011] The traveling unit 2 travels along a pair of rails 92. The traveling unit 2 includes a car body 21, a traveling drive unit 22, wheels 23, and guide wheels 24. The car body 21 supports the traveling drive unit 22, wheels 23, guide wheels 24, etc. The traveling drive unit 22 includes an electric motor such as a servo motor, and drives at least one wheel 23. The wheel 23 rolls on the upper surface of the rails 92. The wheel 23 drivingly connected to the traveling drive unit 22 functions as a drive wheel. The guide wheels 24 roll on the inner surfaces of the rails 92. The traveling unit 2 travels along and on the rails 92 with the guide wheels 24 in contact with and guided by the inner surfaces of the rails 92.

[0012] In the following description, the direction along the extension direction of the rails 92, which is the direction in which the traveling section 2 travels, is referred to as the front-rear direction X of the transport vehicle 1. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction X and along the arrangement direction of the pair of rails 92 is referred to as the width direction Y of the transport vehicle 1. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y is referred to as the up-down direction Z. Note that these directions are directions based on the transport vehicle 1, and the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y may differ depending on the position of the transport vehicle 1 along the travel route when viewed from a fixed point within the facility.

[0013] The transfer mechanism 3 is disposed below the rail 92 and is connected to the traveling section 2. The transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding device 30, a lifting device 50, and a cover body 60. The holding device 30 is a device for holding the container 7. The lifting device 50 is a device for raising and lowering the holding device 30. The lifting device 50 raises and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 2 and a lowered position shown by a solid line. The cover body 60 houses the lifting device 50 and the holding device 30 in the elevated position. The internal space of the cover body 60 is sealed on both sides in the front-rear direction X and is open on at least one side (both sides in this example) in the width direction Y.

[0014] In the transport vehicle 1, for example, the travel unit 2 travels to the position of the target processing device 94 with the holding device 30 holding the container 7, and the lifting device 50 lowers the holding device 30 to the lowered position as shown in Fig. 2, thereby transporting the container 7 to the target processing device 94. Note that Fig. 2 shows an example in which the container 7 is placed on a mounting table 95 arranged adjacent to the processing device 94, thereby supplying the container 7 to the target processing device 94. Furthermore, the transport vehicle 1 can carry out the container 7 from the processing device 94 after processing has been completed by performing the reverse operation to that described above.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the container 7, which is an object to be transported by the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment, includes a bottom plate 71, side walls 72, and an inclined top plate 73. These are integrally formed. The bottom plate 71 is a support plate provided at the lower end of the container 7 and is formed in a circular shape in this embodiment. The side walls 72 extend upward from the outer edge of the bottom plate 71 and are formed in a cylindrical shape with an opening 75 in this embodiment. The inclined top plate 73 is provided at the upper end of the side walls 72 and is formed in a circular shape similar to the bottom plate 71 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the inclined top plate 73 is provided non-parallel to the bottom plate 71, in other words, is inclined with respect to the bottom plate 71. The degree of inclination of the inclined top plate 73 with respect to the bottom plate 71 may be very slight, and the inclination angle may be, for example, 1° to 10°.

[0016] In this embodiment, recesses 73E recessed inward from the sidewall 72 are formed on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73. The recesses 73E are formed at two different circumferential positions on the inclined top plate 73 (specifically, at two positions diametrically opposite each other across the center of the container 7). The container 7 is supported from below by the support portions 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1 at the recesses 73E on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73. More specifically, the container 7 is supported from below by the pair of support portions 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1 at the pair of recesses 73E formed on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73. In this embodiment, the recesses 73E formed on the inclined top plate 73 correspond to the "supported portion." The surface facing downward inside the recesses 73E of the inclined top plate 73 is the supported surface 73f that is actually supported by the support portions 32. In this embodiment, the recess 73E is formed so that the internal supported surface 73f is not parallel to the upper surface 73a.

[0017] Furthermore, the container 7 is held by the holding device 30 in a state where the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 is pressed by the pressing portion 35 provided on the holding device 30. In this embodiment, the inclined top plate 73 corresponds to the "pressed portion," and the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 corresponds to the "pressed surface."

[0018] As described above, the container 7 of this embodiment has an opening 75 in the side wall 72. In this embodiment, the openings 75 include a front opening 75a formed on the front side and a rear opening 75b formed on the rear side. The front opening 75a has a wide opening, which is wider than at least the maximum width of the contents 8. The rear opening 75b has a narrower opening than the front opening 75a, which is narrower than the maximum width of the contents 8. In this embodiment, three rear openings 75b are formed side by side at a predetermined interval.

[0019] The objects 8 contained in the container 7 are taken in and out through the front opening 75a. That is, of the openings 75 formed in the side wall 72, the front opening 75a is an opening for taking in and out the objects 8. Examples of the objects 8 include semiconductor wafers and reticles. The container 7 is configured to be able to hold a plurality of objects 8 arranged one above the other. Furthermore, the container 7 of this embodiment does not have a lid for closing the opening 75, and an open cassette, for example, can be used.

[0020] Returning to the description of the transport vehicle 1, the holding device 30 constituting the transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding main body 31, a support portion 32, a holding drive portion 33, a pressing portion 35, and a pressing support mechanism 36, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 10. The holding device 30 also includes a first guide portion 41, a second guide portion 42, a detection device 44, and a shielding member 46. Note that FIGS. 5 to 7 mainly focus on the support portion 32 and the shielding member 46, and other components have been omitted for clarity. Also, FIGS. 8 to 10 mainly focus on the pressing portion 35, the first guide portion 41, and the second guide portion 42, and other components have been omitted for clarity.

[0021] The holding body 31 is a base for the holding device 30. The holding body 31 supports the support portion 32 and the shielding member 46 so that they can slide freely in the front-rear direction X. The holding body 31 also supports the holding drive portion 33 and the detection device 44 in a fixed manner on its upper surface. The holding body 31 also supports the pressing portion 35 in a slidable manner in the up-down direction Z. The holding body 31 also supports the pressing support mechanism 36, the first guide portion 41, and the second guide portion 42 in a fixed manner on its lower surface.

[0022] The support parts 32 support the recessed parts 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of support parts 32 is provided so as to simultaneously support a pair of recessed parts 73E located at different circumferential positions on the inclined top plate 73. The pair of support parts 32 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X with a predetermined gap between them. The pair of support parts 32 are configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction X, and are driven by the holding drive part 33 to move toward each other in the front-rear direction X or move away from each other in the front-rear direction X.

[0023] In this embodiment, the front-rear direction X, which is the direction in which the pair of support portions 32 are aligned when viewed in the up-down direction, corresponds to the "first direction." Furthermore, the width direction Y, which is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction X as the first direction when viewed in the up-down direction, corresponds to the "second direction." Furthermore, in the following description, one side of the width direction Y as the second direction (for example, the left side in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the "width direction first side Y1," and the other side of the width direction Y, which is the opposite side, will be referred to as the "width direction second side Y2." In this embodiment, the width direction first side Y1 corresponds to the "second direction first side," and the width direction second side Y2 corresponds to the "second direction second side."

[0024] In this embodiment, the support portion 32 has an inclined support surface 32a facing diagonally upward. The inclined support surface 32a is formed as a flat surface and is disposed so that its end on the first widthwise side Y1 is located higher than its end on the second widthwise side Y2. The inclined support surface 32a of the support portion 32 can support, from below, the supported surface 73f inside a recess 73E formed in the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7.

[0025] The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 is configured to include, for example, a holding electric motor and a mechanism (for example, a ball screw mechanism) that converts the rotation of the holding electric motor into propulsion force in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in opposite directions to each other so as to move closer to each other in the front-rear direction X or move farther away from each other in the front-rear direction X. When the holding drive unit 33 includes a ball screw mechanism, the spiral direction of the screw shaft is formed to be opposite on one side and the other side in the front-rear direction X, so that the above-mentioned moving close to each other and moving farther away from each other can be achieved by using only a single holding electric motor.

[0026] The holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 closer to each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding posture in which they support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and hold the container 7. Furthermore, the holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 away from each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding release posture in which they are removed from the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and release the hold on the container 7. In this way, the holding drive unit 33 can change the posture of the pair of support parts 32 between the holding posture and the holding release posture.

[0027] The pressing portion 35 presses the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. The pressing portion 35 is disposed between a pair of support portions 32 in the front-rear direction X. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 35 has an inclined pressing surface 35a facing diagonally downward. The inclined pressing surface 35a is formed as a flat surface and disposed so that the end portion on the first width direction side Y1 is positioned higher than the end portion on the second width direction side Y2. In this embodiment, the inclined pressing surface 35a is disposed non-parallel to the inclined support surface 32a of the support portion 32, which is also inclined so that the end portion on the first width direction side Y1 is positioned higher than the end portion on the second width direction side Y2.

[0028] The pressing unit 35 presses the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 from above with the inclined pressing surface 35a. As described above, the recess 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 is formed so that the internal supported surface 73f is non-parallel to the upper surface 73a. In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the inclined pressing surface 35a of the pressing unit 35 relative to the inclined support surface 32a of the support unit 32 is equal to the inclination angle of the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 relative to the supported surface 73f of the recess 73E of the container 7. As a result, the inclined pressing surface 35a of the pressing unit 35 is parallel to the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 when the supported surface 73f of the recess 73E is supported by the inclined support surface 32a of the support unit 32. Therefore, the inclined pressing surface 35a presses the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 from above in surface contact with the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73, with the supported surface 73f inside the recess 73E of the inclined top plate 73 supported by the inclined support surface 32a.

[0029] The pressing support mechanism 36 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) supports the pressing part 35 so as to be movable in a movable direction V relative to the holding main body part 31. In this embodiment, the movable direction V is the vertical direction Z, and the pressing support mechanism 36 supports the pressing part 35 so as to be movable in the vertical direction Z relative to the holding main body part 31. The pressing support mechanism 36 has a shaft part 36A extending upward from the pressing part 35 along the vertical direction Z, and an elastic member 36B arranged between the holding main body part 31 and the pressing part 35.

[0030] The shaft 36A is slidably inserted into a through-hole formed in the holding body 31 along the vertical direction Z. The shaft 36A serves to guide the movement of the pressing portion 35 along the vertical direction Z (movable direction V). The elastic member 36B may be, for example, a coil spring or a leaf spring. In this embodiment, a coil spring is used as the elastic member 36B. In a compressed state, the elastic member 36B biases the pressing portion 35 downward by its elastic restoring force. In this manner, the pressing support mechanism 36 supports the pressing portion 35 so as to bias the pressing portion 35 downward. Particularly, in this embodiment, when the pair of support portions 32 supports the recess 73E of the tilted top plate 73, the elastic member 36B is compressed and biases the pressing portion 35 downward when the inclined support surface 32a abuts against the upper surface 73a.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the first guide portion 41 is fixed to the holding body portion 31 near the end portion on the first widthwise side Y1. While the support portion 32 is omitted from FIGS. 8 to 10 for clarity, as can be easily seen from FIG. 10, the first guide portion 41 is disposed closer to the first widthwise side Y1 than the support portion 32 that supports the recess 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. In this embodiment, multiple (two in this example) first guide portions 41 are provided, separated along an arc-shaped surface when viewed in the up-down direction. The multiple first guide portions 41 are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the holding device 30 in the front-rear direction X. The first guide portion 41 is disposed so as to be able to abut against the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 from the first widthwise side Y1, and positions the container 7 in the widthwise direction Y in cooperation with the second guide portion 42.

[0032] The first guide portion 41 has a first guide surface 41a on a side surface on the second widthwise side Y2 that faces the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. The first guide surface 41a is formed in a tapered shape that slopes upward toward the second widthwise side Y2. Because the first guide portion 41 has such a first guide surface 41a, if the holding device 30 is misaligned toward the second widthwise side Y2 with respect to the container 7 when the holding device 30 is lowered, the position of the holding device 30 in the widthwise direction Y can be corrected to the first widthwise side Y1.

[0033] The second guide part 42 is fixed to an end part of the holding body part 31 on the second widthwise side Y2 and is fixed near the tip part of a bracket extending in the second widthwise side Y2. The second guide part 42 is disposed closer to the second widthwise side Y2 than the support part 32 that supports the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. In this embodiment, only one second guide part 42 is provided, and it is disposed in the center of the holding device 30 in the front-rear direction X. The second guide part 42 is disposed so as to be able to abut against the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 from the second widthwise side Y2, and positions the container 7 in the widthwise direction Y in cooperation with the first guide part 41.

[0034] The second guide portion 42 has a second guide surface 42a on its side surface on the first widthwise side Y1 that faces the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. The second guide surface 42a is formed in a tapered shape that slopes upward toward the first widthwise side Y1. Because the second guide portion 42 has such a second guide surface 42a, if the holding device 30 is misaligned toward the first widthwise side Y1 with respect to the container 7 when the holding device 30 is lowered, the position of the holding device 30 in the widthwise direction Y can be corrected to the second widthwise side Y2.

[0035] In this way, when the holding device 30 is lowered to approach the container 7 from above, either the first guide surface 41a of the first guide portion 41 or the second guide surface 42a of the second guide portion 42 comes into contact with the container 7, correcting its position in the width direction Y. Note that if there is no misalignment in the position of the holding device 30 relative to the container 7 in the width direction Y, neither the first guide surface 41a nor the second guide surface 42a may come into contact with the container 7.

[0036] The first guide portion 41 and the second guide portion 42 are disposed at different positions in the vertical direction Z. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the first guide portion 41 disposed on the first widthwise side Y1 is disposed above the second guide portion 42 disposed on the second widthwise side Y2 in the vertical direction Z. This configuration is suitable for a configuration in which the holding device 30 supports the container 7 in an orientation in which the front opening 75a, through which the contained item 8 is inserted and removed, faces obliquely upward.

[0037] The detector 44 detects whether the holding device 30 is within the appropriate holding range based on the position of the pressing portion 35 in the movable direction V (in this embodiment, the vertical direction Z). Here, the appropriate holding range is the range of positions in the vertical direction Z of the holding device 30 where the pair of support portions 32 can support the recessed portion 73E of the inclined tabletop 73 by changing from the release position to the holding position. In this embodiment, the pair of support portions 32 slide in the front-rear direction X to change from the release position to the holding position, so the appropriate holding range is the range of positions in the vertical direction Z of the holding device 30 where the entire support portions 32 fit into the recessed portion 73E of the inclined tabletop 73.

[0038] 11 and 12, in this embodiment, the detection device 44 has two position sensors, namely, a first position sensor 44A and a second position sensor 44B, arranged at different positions in the vertical direction Z. The first position sensor 44A is installed above the pressing support mechanism 36 and at a position spaced slightly upward from the holding main body 31. The second position sensor 44B is installed above the pressing support mechanism 36 and at a position spaced even further upward from the first position sensor 44A.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first position sensor 44A and the second position sensor 44B are configured as optical sensors each having a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion. In this embodiment, a detectable object 45 is integrally connected to the shaft portion 36A that constitutes the pressing support mechanism 36 so as to extend upward from the shaft portion 36A. The detectable object 45 is disposed between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of each of the first position sensor 44A and the second position sensor 44B in the front-rear direction X. The detectable object 45 moves in the vertical direction Z in conjunction with the movement of the pressing portion 35 in the vertical direction Z.

[0040] In this embodiment, when the holding device 30 is not holding a container 7, the pressing portion 35 is urged to the lower end of the movable range by the pressing support mechanism 36, and in this state the detectable object 45 is not detected by the first position sensor 44A or the second position sensor 44B. When the holding device 30 is holding a container 7, the pressing portion 35 is urged downward by the pressing support mechanism 36 and moves to the upper side of the movable range, and in this state the detectable object 45 is detected by the first position sensor 44A. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether the holding device 30 is holding a container 7 (i.e., the container presence state) based on whether the first position sensor 44A detects the detectable object 45.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the holding device 30 is lowered to approach the container 7 from above, if the holding device 30 descends too far relative to the container 7 and falls outside the appropriate holding range, the detectable object 45 is also detected by the second position sensor 44B. This makes it possible to detect whether the holding device 30 is located within the appropriate holding range based on whether the second position sensor 44B detects the detectable object 45.

[0042] If it is determined that the holding device 30 is not positioned within the appropriate holding range, the lifting device 50 can be driven to adjust the position of the holding device 30 in the up-down direction Z.

[0043] The shielding members 46 partially cover the front opening 75a of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is holding the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of shielding members 46 are provided to partially cover both sides of the front opening 75a of the container 7 in the front-rear direction X. The pair of shielding members 46 are configured to change their position between a closed position and an open position. Here, the closed position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 46 at least partially face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73. The open position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 46 do not face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73.

[0044] In this embodiment, the shielding members 46 are integrally connected to the support brackets to which the support portions 32 are fixed. One of the pair of shielding members 46 is connected to one of the pair of support portions 32 via a first support bracket, and these are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The other of the pair of shielding members 46 is connected to the other of the pair of support portions 32 via a second support bracket, and these are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The pair of shielding members 46 are configured to change to a closed position when the pair of support portions 32 change to a holding position in conjunction with a change in the position of the pair of support portions 32, and to change to an open position when the pair of support portions 32 change to a holding release position in conjunction with a change in the position of the pair of support portions 32. In the closed position, the pair of shielding members 46 prevent the contained item 8 from slipping out of the container 7.

[0045] The lifting device 50 raises and lowers the holding device 30. As shown in FIG. 2 , the lifting device 50 includes a lifting main body 51, a lifting drive unit 52, and a wire 53. The lifting main body 51 is a base of the lifting device 50. The lifting main body 51 fixedly supports the lifting drive unit 52 on its upper surface. The lifting drive unit 52 includes, for example, an electric lifting motor and a winding unit that rotates integrally with the electric lifting motor. One end of the wire 53 is connected to the winding unit that constitutes the lifting drive unit 52, and the other end is connected to the holding device 30. The lifting device 50 raises and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position and a lowered position by driving the lifting drive unit 52 to wind or unwind the wire.

[0046] Other Embodiments (1) In the above embodiment, when the holding device 30 is lowered to approach the container 7 from above, except when there is no misalignment, only one of the first guide surface 41a of the first guide portion 41 and the second guide surface 42a of the second guide portion 42 comes into contact with the container 7. However, without being limited to such a configuration, both the first guide surface 41a of the first guide portion 41 and the second guide surface 42a of the second guide portion 42 may come into contact with the container 7 to position the container 7 in the width direction Y.

[0047] (2) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 is described as having the first guide portion 41 and the second guide portion 42. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding device 30 does not necessarily have to have the first guide portion 41 and the second guide portion 42.

[0048] (3) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the pressing support mechanism 36 supports the pressing portion 35 relative to the holding main body 31 so as to be movable in the vertical direction Z (in other words, the vertical direction Z is the movable direction V). However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the movable direction V may be a direction that is slightly inclined relative to the vertical direction Z. For example, the pressing support mechanism 36 may support the pressing portion 35 relative to the holding main body 31 so as to be movable in the movable direction V that is inclined at an angle of 10° or less relative to the vertical direction Z.

[0049] (4) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 is described as having a pressing support mechanism 36 that supports the pressing portion 35 movably in the movable direction V relative to the holding body portion 31. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding device 30 does not necessarily have to have the pressing support mechanism 36.

[0050] (5) In the above embodiment, the detection device 44 has been described as having a first position sensor 44A and a second position sensor 44B. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the detection device 44 may be configured with only one of the first position sensor 44A and the second position sensor 44B. Alternatively, the holding device 30 may not include the detection device 44.

[0051] (6) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the pair of shielding members 46 are linked to a change in the posture of the pair of support portions 32, and are set to the closed posture as the pair of support portions 32 are set to the holding posture, and are set to the open posture as the pair of support portions 32 are set to the holding release posture. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the pair of shielding members 46 and the pair of support portions 32 may be driven separately and change their postures independently of each other.

[0052] (7) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 is described as having a shielding member 46 that partially covers the front opening 75a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding device 30 does not necessarily have to have a shielding member 46.

[0053] (8) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a pair of support portions 32 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in the width direction Y. In this case, the width direction Y corresponds to the "first direction," and the front-rear direction X corresponds to the "second direction." The first guide portion 41 and the second guide portion 42 are provided separately on both sides of the pair of support portions 32 in the front-rear direction X. Alternatively, the pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in a direction intersecting both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y. The "first direction" and the "second direction," as well as the installation positions of the first guide portion 41 and the second guide portion 42, are determined depending on the arrangement direction of the pair of support portions 32.

[0054] (9) In the above embodiment, the holding drive unit 33 includes a holding electric motor and a mechanism for converting the rotation of the holding electric motor into a propulsive force in the forward / backward direction X. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding drive unit 33 may include a mechanism that directly generates a propulsive force in the forward / backward direction X, such as a fluid pressure cylinder mechanism.

[0055] (10) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 supports the recess 73E formed on the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 with a pair of support portions 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall 72 in a flange-like shape, and the holding device 30 may support the flange-like protrusion of the inclined top plate 73 with a pair of support portions 32. In this case, two different circumferential positions on the flange-like protrusion of the inclined top plate 73 correspond to the "supported portion." Alternatively, the side wall 72 of the container 7 may be provided with a handle-like protrusion at a different vertical position from the inclined top plate 73, and the holding device 30 may support the handle-like protrusion with a pair of support portions 32. In this case, the handle-like protrusion corresponds to the "supported portion." The handle-like protrusion may be formed integrally with the side wall 72, or may be formed as a separate member from the side wall 72 and fixed to the side wall 72.

[0056] (11) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the supported surface 73f inside the recess 73E of the container 7 and the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 are non-parallel. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the supported surface 73f and the upper surface 73a may be parallel. In this case, on the holding device 30 side, the inclined pressing surface 35a of the pressing portion 35 and the inclined support surface 32a of the support portion 32 are parallel. In either case, the inclined pressing surface 35a of the pressing portion 35 is parallel to the upper surface 73a of the inclined top plate 73 when the supported surface 73f of the recess 73E is supported by the inclined support surface 32a of the support portion 32.

[0057] (12) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which an open cassette that does not have a lid for closing the opening 75 is used as the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a container 7 (such as a FOUP or a reticle pod) that has a lid for closing the opening 75 may also be used.

[0058] (13) The configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments (including the above-described embodiments and other embodiments; the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0059] Summary of the embodiment To summarize the above, a transport vehicle according to the present disclosure preferably has the following configurations.

[0060] A transport vehicle for transporting a container having a pair of a supported portion and a pressed portion, a holding device for holding the container; The holding device a pair of supporting portions that respectively support the pair of supported portions; a holding drive unit that changes the position of the pair of support units between a holding position in which the support units hold the container and a holding release position in which the support units release the container; a pressing portion that presses the pressed portion, the supporting portion has an inclined supporting surface, and the inclined supporting surface supports the supported surface of the supported portion; the pressing portion has an inclined pressing surface, and the inclined pressing surface presses the pressed surface of the pressed portion; The inclined pressing surface is provided so as to be parallel to the pressed surface in a state in which the supported surface is supported by the inclined support surface.

[0061] According to this configuration, by placing the pair of support parts in a holding position, the pair of inclined support surfaces support the supported surface of the supported part, and the container can be supported in a position where the opening for inserting and removing the contents faces diagonally upward. In this case, the inclined pressing surface, which is parallel to the pressed surface when the supported surface is supported by the inclined support surfaces of the support parts, can press the pressed surface from a direction perpendicular to the pressed surface. This allows the parallel inclined support surfaces and inclined pressing surfaces to hold the container from both above and below. Therefore, the container can be stably held and transported with the opening of the container facing diagonally upward.

[0062] In one embodiment, Further provided is a lifting device that lifts and lowers the holding device, When viewed in the up-down direction, the direction in which the pair of support portions are aligned is defined as a first direction, the direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction, one side of the second direction is defined as a second direction first side, and the other side of the second direction is defined as a second direction second side, The holding device a first guide portion having a first guide surface facing the container and disposed on a first side in the second direction relative to the pair of support portions; a second guide portion having a second guide surface facing the container and disposed on a second side in the second direction relative to the pair of support portions, It is preferable that the first guide portion and the second guide portion are arranged so that when the lifting device is used to lower the holding device and bring the holding device closer to the container from above, at least one of the first guide surface and the second guide surface comes into contact with the container.

[0063] According to this configuration, when the lifting device lowers the holding device to bring it closer to the container from above, if the holding device is misaligned in the second direction with respect to the container, only the guide surface of the guide part on the opposite side to the misaligned side (either the first guide surface or the second guide surface) comes into contact with the container, thereby correcting the position of the holding device. Thus, the container can be properly held by the holding device.

[0064] In one embodiment, the first guide surface is inclined toward the second side in the second direction as it extends upward, The second guide surface is preferably inclined toward the first side in the second direction as it extends upward.

[0065] According to this configuration, when the lifting device lowers the holding device to approach the container from above, even if the holding device is misaligned in the second direction relative to the container, the holding device can be corrected to the appropriate position, thereby allowing the holding device to stably hold the container in the appropriate position.

[0066] In one embodiment, It is preferable that the first guide portion and the second guide portion are disposed at different positions in the up-down direction.

[0067] With this configuration, even when the container is supported in a position where the opening for inserting and removing the contents faces diagonally upward, the position of the holding device can be corrected as described above, and the container can be properly held by the holding device.

[0068] In one embodiment, It is preferable that the pressing portion be disposed between the pair of support portions when viewed in the up-down direction.

[0069] According to this configuration, the container can be held more stably by pressing from above with the pressing portion and supporting from below with the support portions on both sides of the pressing portion.

[0070] In one embodiment, The holding device a holding body portion that supports the pair of support portions and the holding drive portion; a pressing support mechanism that supports the pressing portion so as to be movable in the up-down direction relative to the holding body portion, It is preferable that the pressing support mechanism supports the pressing part so that the inclined support surface abuts the pressed surface when the pair of supporting parts supports the pair of supported parts, and urges the pressing part downward.

[0071] With this configuration, even if the vertical position of the container relative to the holding device fluctuates slightly during transport, the downward bias of the pressing portion can appropriately maintain the state in which the pressing portion presses the container from above, thereby making it possible to hold the container more stably.

[0072] In one embodiment, a range of positions in the up-down direction of the holding device in which the pair of supporting portions can support the pair of supported portions by changing from the holding release posture to the holding posture is defined as an appropriate holding range; It is preferable that the holding device further includes a detection device that detects whether the holding device is within the appropriate holding range based on the position of the pressing portion.

[0073] According to this configuration, it is possible to detect whether the vertical position of the holding device is within the appropriate holding range based on the position of the pressing part that is movable in the vertical direction. Therefore, for example, if the vertical position of the holding device is out of the appropriate holding range, an opportunity can be provided to correct this. As a result, the holding device can properly hold the container.

[0074] In one embodiment, The container has an opening on a side surface for inserting and removing the contents, the holding device further includes a shielding member that changes its position between a closed position in which the shielding member at least partially faces the opening when the pair of supporting portions supports the pair of supported portions, and an open position in which the shielding member does not face the opening, It is preferable that the shielding member is configured to change to the closed position as the pair of support parts change to the holding position in response to a change in the position of the pair of support parts, and to change to the open position as the pair of support parts change to the holding release position.

[0075] According to this configuration, by placing the shielding member in the closed position, the opening can be at least partially covered by the shielding member, and the contents can be prevented from falling out of the container. Furthermore, by linking the positional change of the shielding member between the closed position and the open position with the positional change of the pair of support parts between the holding position and the holding release position, it is possible to prevent the contents from falling out of the container while the container is held by the holding device with a relatively simple configuration.

[0076] It is sufficient for the transport vehicle according to the present disclosure to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1 transport vehicle 7 containers 8 Detainees 30 Holding device 31 Holding body part 32 Support part 32a Inclined support surface 33 Holding drive unit 35 Pressing section 35a Inclined pressure surface 36 Pressure support mechanism 41 1st Information Department 41a First guide surface 42 2nd Information Department 42a Second guide surface 44 Detection Device 46 Shielding member 50 Lifting device 73 Inclined top plate (pressure receiving part) 73a Upper surface (pressed surface) 73E Recess (supported part) 73f Supported surface 75 Aperture 75a front opening X Anteroposterior direction (first direction) Y Width direction (second direction) Y1 Width direction 1st side (2nd direction 1st side) Y2 Width direction 2nd side (2nd direction 2nd side) Z vertical direction V movable direction

Claims

1. A transport vehicle for transporting a container having a pair of a supported portion and a pressed portion, a holding device for holding the container; The holding device a pair of supporting portions that respectively support the pair of supported portions; a holding drive unit that changes the position of the pair of support units between a holding position in which the support units hold the container and a holding release position in which the support units release the container; a pressing portion that presses the pressed portion, the supporting portion has an inclined supporting surface, and the inclined supporting surface supports the supported surface of the supported portion; the pressing portion has an inclined pressing surface, and the inclined pressing surface presses the pressed surface of the pressed portion; The transport vehicle is configured so that the inclined pressing surface is parallel to the pressed surface when the supported surface is supported by the inclined support surface.

2. Further provided is a lifting device that lifts and lowers the holding device, When viewed in the up-down direction, a direction in which the pair of support portions are aligned is defined as a first direction, a direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction, one side of the second direction is defined as a second direction first side, and the other side of the second direction is defined as a second direction second side, The holding device a first guide portion having a first guide surface facing the container and disposed on a first side in the second direction relative to the pair of support portions; a second guide portion having a second guide surface facing the container and disposed on a second side in the second direction relative to the pair of support portions, The transport vehicle described in claim 1, wherein the first guide portion and the second guide portion are arranged so that at least one of the first guide surface and the second guide surface contacts the container when the holding device is lowered by the lifting device to approach the container from above.

3. the first guide surface is inclined toward the second side in the second direction as it extends upward, The transport vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the second guide surface is inclined toward the first side in the second direction as it extends upward.

4. The transport vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the first guide portion and the second guide portion are disposed at different positions in the vertical direction.

5. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing portion is disposed between the pair of support portions when viewed in the up-down direction.

6. The holding device a holding body portion that supports the pair of support portions and the holding drive portion; a pressing support mechanism that supports the pressing portion so as to be movable in the up-down direction relative to the holding body portion, 5. The transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the pressing support mechanism supports the pressing portion such that the inclined support surface abuts the pressed surface when the pair of support portions supports the pair of supported portions, and urges the pressing portion downward.

7. a range of positions in the up-down direction of the holding device in which the pair of supporting portions can support the pair of supported portions by changing from the holding release posture to the holding posture is defined as an appropriate holding range; The transport vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the holding device further comprises a detection device that detects whether the holding device is within the appropriate holding range based on the position of the pressing part.

8. The container has an opening on a side surface for inserting and removing the contents, the holding device further includes a shielding member that changes its position between a closed position in which the shielding member at least partially faces the opening when the pair of supporting portions supports the pair of supported portions, and an open position in which the shielding member does not face the opening, A transport vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the shielding member is configured to change to the closed gate position when the pair of support parts change to the holding position in conjunction with a change in the position of the pair of support parts, and to change to the open gate position when the pair of support parts change to the holding release position.

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